Sam Smith was on music for Wrexham’s winner six minutes earlier than half-time because the Championship membership beat Premier League opponents Manchester United in a pleasant at Helsinki’s Olympic Stadium.
Shortly after heading towards his personal crossbar from Mason Mount’s supply, ahead Smith slotted in unmarked as Phil Parkinson’s facet caught United out from a throw-in.
United head coach Michael Carrick picked a strong starting side together with Leny Yoro, Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, new signing Andrey Santos, Bryan Mbeumo, Patrick Dorgu, Joshua Zirkzee and captain Harry Maguire.
Carrick made 11 modifications at half-time, with United dominating possession all through however struggling to create significant possibilities.
Solely Radek Vitek’s good save with a leg prevented United from falling additional behind quickly after the restart, thwarting Davis Keillor-Dunn after the Wrexham newcomer broke clear.
Man United vs Wrexham: Andrey Santos ‘on the ball’
Former United defender Wes Brown noticed that Zirkzee “appeared to run off” a “little knock” with half-time approaching.
“[Santos] received on the ball,” Brown informed MUTV of the £48 million midfield signing from Chelsea. “He appears to be like match and prepared.
“In a pair extra weeks, I’m positive we’ll see much more from him. Nevertheless it was good to see him within the beginning line-up.”
Often a centre-back, Yoro took up a brand new place at right-back. “He’s not a right-back… however he regarded very sharp,” mentioned Brown.
“He will get up and down the pitch, he’s very athletic. He can positively play there. That’ll be an possibility if Michael wants it.”
Manchester United group vs Wrexham
Manchester United beginning XI: Tom Heaton, Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire, Ayden Heaven, Luke Shaw, Bryan Mbeumo, Mason Mount, Jack Fletcher, Andrey Santos, Patrick Dorgu, Joshua Zirkzee
Manchester United second-half XI: Radek Vitek, Ethan Wheatley, Tyler Fletcher, Harry Amass, Toby Collyer, Daniel Gore, Shea Lacey, Ethan Williams, Jaydan Kamason, Jacob Devaney, Daniel Armer
Man United substitutes: Chido Obi, Dermot Mee, Jim Thwaites,
Wrexham group vs Man United
Wrexham beginning XI: Arthur Okonkwo, Aaron James, Dan Scarr, Callum Doyle, Zak Vyner, Nathan Broadhead, Lewis O’Brien, George Thomason, Alexander James Moore, Bailey Cadamarteri, Sam Smith
Wrexham substitutes: Lewis Brunt, Dominic Hyam, Conor Coady, Davis Keillor-Dunn, George Dobson, Kieffer Moore, Oliver Rathbone, Danny Ward, Ryan Barnett, Harry Ashfield, Rio Owen, Tommy Clayton, Oliver McTweed, Joe Rees, Dafydd Edwards
Manchester United vs Wrexham stats
- Manchester United are unbeaten in all 5 aggressive conferences with Wrexham, successful each match
- The Purple Devils final confronted Wrexham in January 1995, successful 5-2 within the FA Cup fourth spherical.
- Carrick guided Manchester United to 3rd place within the Premier League final season, securing Champions League qualification
- Wrexham completed seventh within the Championship final season, lacking the play-offs by two factors
- Wrexham opened their pre-season with a 0-0 draw towards Wisla Krakow
Manchester United pre season fixtures 2026/27
After their journey to Helsinki, United head to Norway, Sweden and Eire for fixtures throughout July and August.
Right here’s the total record.
| Date | Opponents | Venue | BST begin time | ET | PT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, July 18 | Wrexham | Olympiastadion (Helsinki, Finland) | 16:00 | 11:00 | 08:00 |
| Fri, July 24 | Rosenborg | Lerkendal Stadion (Trondheim, Norway) | 17:00 | 12:00 | 09:00 |
| Sat, August 1 | Atlético Madrid | Strawberry Enviornment (Stockholm, Sweden) | 14:00 | 09:00 | 06:00 |
| Sat, August 8 | PSG | Nya Ullevi (Goteborg, Sweden) | 16:00 | 11:00 | 08:00 |
| Weds, August 12 | Leeds United | Croke Park (Dublin, Eire) | 19:30 | 14:30 | 11:30 |
Why have Man United chosen their pre season tour opponents?
United have giant fanbases in Scandinavia and Dublin, making the excursions commercially essential and an opportunity for supporters in these areas to see the group.
They performed at Solna’s Strawberry Enviornment, the place they are going to encounter Atleti this summer time, in a 0-0 draw with Leeds in 2025.
There might be an enormous crowd for the fixture at Croke Park, which is the fourth-largest stadium in Europe behind Barcelona’s Camp Nou, Wembley Stadium and Actual Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu, providing a capability of 82,000.
The final soccer match at Croke Park was in November 2009, when former Manchester Metropolis striker Nicolas Anelka scored the one aim as France started a profitable FIFA World Cup play-off towards the Republic of Eire by successful the primary leg.
Director of soccer Jason Wilcox urged United have “the most effective followers on this planet” and would be capable to “join” with them whereas giving their squad stern assessments towards sturdy groups.
Manchester United pre season opponents: Wrexham, Atleti, PSG, Leeds
Wrexham’s run of three successive promotions led to 2025/26 however the membership – whose profile and monetary power has been reworked by funding from Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney – impressed within the Championship, ending instantly outdoors the play-off locations.
A really inexperienced United facet misplaced 3-1 to Wrexham in a pleasant on the Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego in July 2023.
Rosenborg are probably the most profitable group in Norwegian soccer however haven’t received their home title since 2018 and haven’t featured in European competitors correct since 2019, once they have been a part of the Europa League group stage.
United visited Rosenborg’s Lerkendal Stadium in July 2024, dropping 1-0 underneath Amorim’s predecessor, Erik ten Hag.
Eleven-time Spanish champions and three-time Europa League winners Atleti beat United in a pleasant in Oslo in July 2022 and knocked them out of the 2021/22 Champions League, successful 2-1 on mixture courtesy of a 1-0 victory at Previous Trafford.
Diego Simeone’s facet didn’t mount a title problem within the 2025/26 Liga however reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, beating Brugge and Tottenham throughout the knockout part earlier than being ousted by Arsenal.
PSG and United have taken markedly totally different trajectories for the reason that French giants exited the Champions League within the final 16 at Previous Trafford in 2019, dropping on the now-defunct away-goals rule by way of a 94th-minute Marcus Rashford aim for the hosts.
The sport is on the Ullevi Stadium, the place Zlatan Ibrahimovic took 4 minutes to attain his first United aim following the striker’s arrival from PSG in 2016, serving to his new membership beat Galatasaray 5-2 in a contest additionally containing two objectives by Purple Devils all-time prime scorer Wayne Rooney.
Man United pre season friendlies: Easy methods to purchase tickets
Ticket particulars can be found on United’s fixtures page.
When does Man United’s 2026/27 season begin?
United go to Hull Metropolis of their opener on Saturday, August 22 at 12:30 BST.
