Michael Carrick didn’t come out and say it directly, but the message was there for anyone watching. Manchester United’s second-half lineup against Wrexham over the weekend wasn’t just about giving kids run. It was a test with real stakes attached, at least for a few of them.
United lost the preseason opener, sure. That happens in July. What matters more is that Carrick came away from the 4-2 defeat impressed with his younger players, and one name kept popping up: Jacob Devaney.
The teenager spent the second half of last season on loan at St. Mirren in Scotland, where he mostly played as a defensive midfielder. That’s his natural role. But Carrick needed to see how Devaney handled something else entirely. So he lined up the 19-year-old at center-back against Wrexham’s Kieffer Moore, a forward built like a brick wall who knows how to lean on defenders.
Spoiler: Devaney held his own.
“They can play long into Kieffer Moore and JD playing center-half, it’s not natural to him,” Carrick told MUTV after the match. “He’s played a little bit there but not a lot. I thought he did ever so well. He had a really successful few months up in Scotland. It was good to see him take that next step. The confidence and assurance in his game, even though he was playing a slightly different position. He was vocal. He was commanding. I liked a lot of what he did today.”
That’s not empty praise from a manager trying to keep morale up. Carrick picked his words carefully. Devaney was playing out of position against a team that knows how to make life uncomfortable, and he didn’t look lost. That means something, especially for a squad that could use midfield help but might need defensive cover just as badly.
Youngsters Carried the Second Half
Carrick split his squad into two groups. The first half featured mostly senior players. The second half was all academy kids, and Carrick admitted that group actually controlled the game better for stretches.
“I was really pleased with the second-half team,” he said. “I thought they controlled the game really well against a team that is not easy to play against.”
He added that final-third sharpness isn’t there yet for most guys in preseason. That’s normal. But the structure and responsibility the young players showed in the middle of the park caught his attention.
Tyler Fletcher Keeps Adding to the Resume
Another player Carrick name-checked was Tyler Fletcher, who’s had a wild few months. First start for United under Carrick, then a senior international debut, then a spot in Scotland’s World Cup squad. Against Wrexham, Carrick handed him the captain’s armband for the second half.
“He’s had an eventful three or four months, Tyler,” Carrick said. “He didn’t want long off after the World Cup. He took that responsibility and led the team second half really well.”
Fletcher didn’t look like a young player trying to prove himself. He looked like someone who expected to be out there. That’s the kind of shift Carrick is hoping to see more of as the preseason tour continues.
United faces Rosenborg next week, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Devaney or Fletcher get another run of minutes. If Devaney keeps showing he can handle center-back duty in a pinch — even as a midfielder by trade — he might have carved out a faster path into the first team than anyone expected.
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