Man Utd player ratings vs Wrexham: Andrey Santos makes debut as 4/10 struggles

Manchester United were beaten 1-0 by Wrexham in their first pre-season friendly with Andrey Santos making his debut for the Red Devils following his £50million move from Chelsea

Manchester United started their pre-season with by facing Championship side Wrexham at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, Finland. Sam Smith’s first-half strike secured Wrexham a 1-0 victory as Michael Carrick heavily rotated his side despite giving Andrey Santos his first game since sealing a £50million move from Chelsea.

United found themselves under pressure early on as Carrick’s side found it difficult to cope with longer passes from the Championship outfit. However, it was from a throw-in that Wrexham grabbed the opener shortly before half-time.

United made 11 substitutions at the break, with the team for the second half possessing a considerably more youthful appearance as the younger players were afforded an opportunity to catch Carrick’s eye. Despite the inexperience of the squad, United appeared more assured in possession, with Wrexham also making numerous changes at half-time. Here, the Daily Star Sport rates the United stars.

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Tom Heaton 5 – Committed an early error to hand Wrexham an opportunity to go ahead. Was powerless to prevent the Wrexham goal.

Leny Yoro 5 – Operated in an unaccustomed right-back position. That might have contributed to Wrexham’s opener, which originated down United’s right flank.

Ayden Heaven 4 – Was overly relaxed in possession, surrendering the ball during the first period, though he produced an excellent recovery tackle in the box to deny a scoring opportunity. Lost concentration for the Wrexham goal, failing to track the runners around him.

Harry Maguire 5 – Received warm applause from the home supporters whenever he touched the ball. Showed willingness to advance into midfield to initiate United’s attacking moves, but captained a backline that found it difficult to cope with Wrexham’s aerial bombardment.

Luke Shaw 6 – Sought to push forward whenever possible – though Wrexham did enjoy some early success with diagonal balls into his area.

Andrey Santos 7 – Surrendered possession in the centre of the pitch, creating a threatening Wrexham opportunity, but was rescued by the offside flag. Constantly sought involvement in the holding role, helping to eliminate threats in front of the back four.

Jack Fletcher 5 – Showed eagerness to support the attack when opportunities arose, but received limited service.

Mason Mount 5 – Remained active in the middle of the pitch, seeking the more inventive passes to create openings.

Bryan Mbeumo 6 – Displayed a handful of tidy touches, and proved United’s most menacing attacking outlet. Appeared to assist Yoro defensively down the right flank.

Joshua Zrkzee 4 – As expected, dropped deep in an attempt to connect the play. His first touch frequently failed him.

Patrick Dorgu 5 – Operated in an attacking position on the left ahead of Luke Shaw, though the pair would regularly interchange, with Dorgu falling back to allow Shaw to venture forward.

Second half:

Radek Vitek 7 – Became more involved in build-up play than Heaton, with his starting position considerably higher, offering an outlet for his defence. Produced a fine stop to prevent Wrexham from doubling their advantage in a one-on-one scenario.

Jaydan Kamason 6 – Like any contemporary full-back, was eager to advance with possession and contribute to attacks. Received a booking for a reckless tackle on Dobson.

Dan Armer 7 – Both centre-halves appeared at ease in possession and weren’t genuinely tested by Wrexham’s forward line.

Jacob Devaney 7 – Both centre-halves seemed comfortable on the ball, and like his defensive colleague wasn’t seriously challenged by Wrexham’s attack featuring Kieffer Moore.

Harry Amass 7 – Showed no hesitation in pushing forward as United sought to seize control of the match, executed one excellent tackle to win back possession and launch an attack.

Dan Gore 8 – Delivered a clever run beyond the Wrexham backline to fashion arguably United’s finest opportunity. Found some excellent positions in midfield and demonstrated quality touches.

Tyler Fletcher 8 – Donned the captain’s armband for the second half, shielded his defence effectively and set the standard in the middle of the park.

Shea Lacey 6 – Saw a weak effort kept out by Danny Ward, but found it difficult to make his mark after the break.

Toby Collyer 7 – Dropped back smartly to eliminate any threat, yet was frequently one of the most forward-thinking midfielders, spearheading the press.

Ethan Williams 6 – Found it tough to make an impact down the right flank, but retreated diligently to assist his defence when required.

Ethan Wheatley 6 – Attempted to breach the Wrexham backline, but found it challenging to retain possession with his back to goal. Posed a danger whenever the ball found its way into the penalty area.