\t\t\t6<\/i><\/p>\n
Manchester United kicked off their pre-season tour with a match against Wrexham at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium in Finland. But the Red Devils fell to a disappointing 1-0 defeat to the Championship hotshots, even if the younger members of Carrick\u2019s squad did their best to overcome the deficit created by the elders after Wrexham went 1-0 up in the the 39th minute. <\/p>\n
Opting for his most experienced XI in the first half, Carrick set the Red Devils up in their familiar 4-2-3-1 shape, though Mason Mount\u2019s freedom saw the team often morph into a 4-3-3, with newcomer Andrey Santos \u2013 signed from Chelsea for \u00a350 million \u2013 acting as the defensive anchor in midfield.<\/p>\n
The nature of pre-season matches, which see wholesale changes at half-time to give every member of the squad a chance to find fitness and form, meant there was a completely different XI for the second forty-five minutes. Accordingly, The Peoples Person<\/em> has broken down the team\u2019s ratings into both halves.<\/p>\n (A score of 6<\/strong> is about average).<\/p>\n Tom Heaton (4)<\/strong> \u2013 Started nervously considering his vast experience, almost gifting Wrexham a goal in the first minute after a scramble in the box which required Santos to clean up. Could do little for their opener, but it is clear to see why Karl Darlow has been signed to back up Senne Lammens.<\/p>\n Leny Yoro (7)<\/strong> \u2013 Deployed out of position at right-back, the French starlet did well in the unfamiliar role. Combined well with Mbeumo, including one excellent piece of build-up play that the Cameroonian wasted. Primed for a big season, given the ongoing absence of Matthijs de Ligt, but it must come in central defence.<\/p>\n Harry Maguire (C) (5)<\/strong> \u2013 Handed the captain\u2019s armband by Carrick, Maguire was his usual steady self. A good challenge early on to snuff out a counter-attack was balanced by his tendency to be ponderous in possession. He could have done more to prevent Wrexham\u2019s goal. Once Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui return, Yoro will be eyeing his position.<\/p>\n Ayden Heaven (4.5)<\/strong> \u2013 Excellent tackle in the first few minutes, but caught unaware for Wrexham\u2019s opening goal. A work in progress, but the tools are there for him to develop into an excellent centre-back. Better days ahead for the youngster.<\/p>\n Luke Shaw (6.5)<\/strong> \u2013 Looked lean and lively in equal measure. Comfortable in possession and strong in the challenge, Shaw\u2019s ability to replicate last year\u2019s injury-free campaign will be key to success this season. Could have combined better with Dorgu, but this was the fault of the Dane rather than the Englishman.<\/p>\n Andrey Santos (7)<\/strong> \u2013 Made an important interception to spare Heaton\u2019s blushes early on, but lost the ball in transition in midfield, only to be saved by the offside flag. Defensive positioning was largely on point, while it is refreshing to have a mobile No.6. Comfortable distributing the ball with either foot, with his first-time passing precise and purposeful. A promising debut from the Brazilian dynamo. <\/p>\n Mason Mount (8.5)<\/strong> \u2013 United\u2019s best player in the first forty-five, despite Wrexham \u2018winning\u2019 the half. Given the freedom by Carrick to drift as he saw fit, the 27-year-old livewire was excellent at dropping deep to help progress the ball. A great turn under pressure in the opening few minutes showed his potential in this position. If Mount can offer a genuine option as a No.8, United\u2019s midfield rebuild will be one step closer to completion without spending a penny.<\/p>\n Bryan Mbeumo (5)<\/strong> \u2013 Slimmer and sharper than last summer, but not able to produce much attacking threat, despite being the most senior of the frontline. Mbeumo will be looking to build on a promising debut campaign, even if today was not his day. Amad will be breathing down his neck when the Ivory Coast international joins up with the squad.<\/p>\n Jack Fletcher (3)<\/strong> \u2013 While working hard off the ball, Fletcher was wholly ineffective in possession. He will need to show far<\/em> more across the remainder of pre-season to stake a claim in the senior squad, but the early signs are not promising as he looked short on quality and invention. His twin is far more likely to be an option for Carrick moving forward.<\/p>\n Patrick Dorgu (4)<\/strong> \u2013 Looked uncomfortable in possession and tight spaces, as he often has when deployed further forward. This was balanced by moments of quality which, again, is a familiar tale for the 21-year-old Denmark international when attacking, as proven by some stunning moments last season. But his potent pairing of speed and size still suggests his future should lie deeper, rather than on the wing. <\/p>\n Joshua Zirkzee (2)<\/strong> \u2013 A terrible pass after excellent build-up by Mount and Yoro was the story of Zirkzee\u2019s performance. The 25-year-old Dutchman was as ineffective against Championship defenders today as he was last season in the Premier League. It feels like there is no hope of him ever finding his feet in England, which explains why INEOS are, rightly, looking to sell this summer, despite sporting director Jason Wilcox having been influential in his \u00a336.5 million capture from Bologna two years ago.<\/p>\n Radek Vitek (8)<\/strong> \u2013 Made an superb save in the 65th minute to keep the game poised at 1-0, getting down low to use his feet \u2013 no mean feat for a 6\u20196\u2033 giant \u2013 before a brilliant claim under pressure. A talented goalkeeper who deserves more of a chance than he will get, due to the presence of Senne Lammens. A sale may be the best decision for both the player and the club \u2013 but a buy-back clause must <\/strong> be included. <\/p>\n Jaydan Kamason (7)<\/strong> \u2013 With speed and skill in equal measure, Kamason looked far more comfortable than Yoro at right-back. Carrick will have been impressed by his contributions in possession, though his positioning still needs work \u2013 as would be expected for a 19-year-old defender.<\/p>\n Jacob Devaney (6) \u2013 As a midfielder forced to play in central defence due to the paucity options at Carrick\u2019s disposal, the 19-year-old did his best in difficult circumstances. Will hopefully be given more opportunities to showcase his talents further forward in the remaining pre-season matches. He has a turn of pace which can be deadly in transition in midfield. <\/p>\n Daniel Armer (6)<\/strong> \u2013 Much like Maguire, the 6\u20194\u2033 centre-back was solid, if unspectacular. Devaney was better at playing out from the back, but Armer did nothing to harm his burgeoning reputation in M16. <\/p>\n Harry Amass (5)<\/strong> \u2013 Amass was his usual assured self in possession, but suspect out of it. Struggled to maintain United\u2019s defensive line, playing Wrexham\u2019s forward onside at crucial times. There is potential for much more, which hopefully he shows this summer, given how well he played in difficult circumstances for Sheffield Wednesday last season. <\/p>\n Dan Gore (7)<\/strong> \u2013 Excellent technically, spraying the ball across the pitch with the confidence of a seasoned veteran. The fact that United controlled possession more in the second half was a testament to his efforts. Following an strong campaign with Rotherham last year, Gore looks ready to test himself at a higher level \u2013 whether that is at Old Trafford or not remains to be seen. <\/p>\n Tyler Fletcher (6)<\/strong> \u2013 Being selected as captain of a very inexperienced side for the second half is a testament to how highly rated the second son of Darren Fletcher is. Looked more assured than his twin, explaining why Tyler went to the World Cup for Scotland and Jack did not. Solid, but far from a standout, performance.<\/p>\n Shea Lacey (8)<\/strong> \u2013 There is a lot of excitement about Lacey at Old Trafford, with one moment of immaculate control in the second half proving exactly why. A diminutive winger with enormous potential, the 19-year-old possesses a wand of a left foot. He was creative and confident on the ball, while working hard off it. Very promising. <\/p>\n Toby Collyer (5)<\/strong> \u2013 Looked the weakest of United\u2019s midfield trio, though he was deployed further forward than he would have liked. With links to Premier League newcomers Hull City and clubs in the Championship, it feels the right stage for Collyer to depart Old Trafford permanently to continue his development. There remains a box-to-box warrior in there; he just needs first-team minutes and no more injuries to show it. <\/p>\n Ethan Williams (4)<\/strong> \u2013 Pressed enthusiastically but did little to impress when receiving the ball. The left-hand side of United\u2019s side was not as effective as the right, with Williams offering virtually nothing in comparison to Lacey.<\/p>\n Ethan Wheatley (4)<\/strong> \u2013 With a powerful 6\u20192\u2033 frame, Wheatley looked the part leading the line for United, even if his performance did little to justify it. Another candidate for the exit door, for his own sake as much as United. <\/p>\n Despite competing against far more experienced and physical players, Manchester United\u2019s youngsters performed largely well in the second half, particularly in possession. There will be a few vying to get the nod from the start in the next pre-season clash. Next on the agenda is a clash with Eliteserien side Rosenborg next Friday (24 July) at 5pm GMT. The match will take place at the Lerkendal Stadion in Trondheim, Norway.<\/p>\n Featured image George Wood via Getty Images<\/em><\/p>\n The Peoples Person has been one of the world\u2019s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 6 Manchester United kicked off their pre-season tour with a match against Wrexham at the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8600,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18581","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chelsea"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18581","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18581"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18581\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8600"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18581"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18581"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18581"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Starting XI \u2013 First Half<\/h5>\n
Starting XI \u2013 Second Half<\/h5>\n
United looking to bounce back next week<\/h5>\n
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