Manchester United’s Pre-Season Fixture
Manchester United recently played a pre-season friendly against Wrexham in Helsinki, resulting in a 1-0 loss for United. The match saw Andrey Santos make his initial appearance for Manchester United. Sam Smith scored the only goal of the game for Wrexham, finding the net six minutes before half-time.
United‘s squad for this friendly did not include players who participated in the World Cup, such as Youri Tielemans and Benjamin Sesko. Despite this, manager Michael Carrick fielded a strong starting lineup for the match, which drew an audience of 20,000 spectators.
Andrey Santos, who became United‘s first summer signing from Chelsea earlier in the week, played in the midfield alongside Mason Mount. Carrick had previously expressed his positive impression of the Brazilian player’s attitude, noting his quick integration and enthusiasm.
Match Details and Player Performances
Santos quickly adapted to the game, demonstrating a good passing range and winning several duels throughout his performance. However, Wrexham, who had played their first pre-season friendly against Wisla Krakow the previous weekend, showed a more dynamic approach and created opportunities.
One such instance saw Bailey Cadamarteri briefly dispossess Ayden Heaven before the defender recovered. United‘s initial chance came from a shot by Joshua Zirkzee in the 24th minute, which went wide. Wrexham nearly scored when Smith, attempting to clear a corner, hit his own crossbar in the 36th minute. Soon after, Smith scored by tapping in a cross from Lewis O’Brien.
At half-time, 21 of the 22 players were substituted, with only Wrexham‘s Aaron James remaining on the field. Carrick then introduced a team composed of academy products, while Wrexham‘s side included players like Conor Coady and Kieffer Moore.
Despite Manchester United maintaining possession for much of the second half, they found it challenging to create scoring opportunities as the game’s tempo decreased. Wrexham threatened again with a low shot from Davis Keillor-Dunn, which was saved by Radek Vitek.
United‘s first shot on target came in the 78th minute when Ethan Wheatley directed Harry Amass’s cross towards the goal, but Dan Ward made the save. Ward also saved a subsequent low drive from Shea Lacey.
Ollie Rathbone’s Return to Face Former Club
For Wrexham midfielder Ollie Rathbone, facing Manchester United was described as a “humbling experience.” Rathbone, who came through the United academy, was among contemporaries such as World Cup players Marcus Rashford and Scott McTominay.
Although Rathbone was released by United in 2016 after eight years, he expressed gratitude for his time at the club. He noted that the academy provided a strong foundation for understanding the dedication required to be a professional footballer. He joined Rochdale after leaving United, spending five seasons there.
Rathbone later moved to Rotherham in 2021, where he contributed to the club’s promotion to the Championship in his first season. He joined Wrexham in the summer of 2024 and has since become an important player for Phil Parkinson‘s Championship team.
In July 2025, Rathbone sustained an ankle injury during a pre-season game against Sydney FC, which led to him missing the first 20 league games of the season. He returned to action by scoring a late equalizer against Watford last December and was a regular player for the remainder of the campaign, during which Wrexham narrowly missed the Championship play-offs.
Wrexham‘s upcoming pre-season schedule includes a trip to the United States next week to play against Leeds United, Liverpool, and Sunderland. Before these matches, Rathbone had the opportunity to play against his former club at Helsinki’s Olympic Stadium.
Source: theguardian.com
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