Manchester United’s pre-season ended on a sour note, collapsing to a 4-2 defeat as Ruben Amorim’s AC Milan came from behind to win in Wroclaw, Poland. With the Premier League season kicking off against Hull City in under a week, the manner of the loss will give Michael Carrick plenty to think about.
How the Game Unfolded
United made a bright start, with Harry Maguire heading in from a Bruno Fernandes corner inside the opening two minutes, and Amad Diallo almost doubling the lead soon after suggesting it might be a difficult reunion for Amorim against his old club. Milan responded well, though, with Senne Lammens needed to deny Ruben Loftus-Cheek before Goncalo Ramos set up Samuel Chukwueze for an equaliser in the 37th minute. United then missed the chance to go back in front before half-time, with Fernandes seeing his firmly struck penalty saved.
Patrick Dorgu restored United’s lead early in the second half, pouncing on a sloppy Filippo Terracciano back-pass, only for Milan to level again through Alphadjo Cisse, who ghosted in at the far post. Chukwueze caused persistent problems down the right for United throughout the second period, first teeing up Ramos to head Milan in front for the first time, before the same flank was exploited again as Loftus-Cheek raced through to make it 4-2 and complete the turnaround.
United used the game to reintroduce some key figures, with Lisandro Martinez easing his way back into action following his World Cup involvement, Kobbie Mainoo also returning, and Marcus Rashford making his first appearance for his boyhood club in 20 months after coming off the bench.
Carrick’s Reaction
Speaking after the match, Michael Carrick admitted the performance fell short of expectations, pointing to a mix of factors including several players featuring in their first minutes of the game without offering it as an excuse for the display. He said the squad remains in good spirits heading into the new season, with plenty of the group set to benefit from the minutes gained across pre-season, and expressed confidence the team will be ready for the very different atmosphere of the opening league fixture.
Analysis: How Ready Are Man Utd?
There have been genuine positives from United’s pre-season, with Andrey Santos emerging as a real asset in midfield and Youri Tielemans continuing to settle into a promising new-look engine room. But this defeat exposed how far others still have to go understandably so, perhaps, given Martinez, Mainoo and Rashford are all still working their way back to full fitness.
With United’s opening Premier League fixture away at Hull now less than a week away, there’s little margin for slow starts. Carrick’s broader system looks reasonably settled, but real questions remain over personnel including whether Luke Shaw can be relied upon as heavily as last season, and whether United still need to add further midfield depth. Wroclaw raised more questions than it answered.
Man Utd’s Pre-Season in Full
- 18 July: Man Utd 0-1 Wrexham (Helsinki)
- 24 July: Man Utd 5-0 Rosenborg (Trondheim)
- 1 August: Man Utd 2-1 Atletico Madrid (Stockholm)
- 8 August: Man Utd 1-1 PSG (Gothenburg)
- 12 August: Leeds 1-1 Man Utd (Man Utd won 4-5 on penalties, Dublin)
- 15 August: Man Utd 2-4 AC Milan (Wroclaw)
Quick Facts: Man Utd 2-4 AC Milan
- Scorers (Man Utd): Harry Maguire, Patrick Dorgu
- Scorers (AC Milan): Samuel Chukwueze, Goncalo Ramos, Alphadjo Cisse, Ruben Loftus-Cheek
- Missed: Bruno Fernandes (penalty, saved)
- Notable returns: Lisandro Martinez, Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford (first appearance in 20 months)
- Next fixture: Hull City (away, Premier League opener)
