Manchester United’s preseason tour kicked off in Helsinki with a result nobody expected and a performance that raised more questions than answers. The Red Devils lost 1-0 to Wrexham at the Olympic Stadium, and while preseason results don’t matter much, the individual displays certainly do.
Michael Carrick split his squad in half, fielding his most experienced group for the first 45 minutes and an entirely different, much younger lineup after the break. It was a tale of two halves, and neither one was particularly flattering for United.
First half veterans underwhelm
Mason Mount was the clear standout in the opening period. Given freedom to drift wherever he wanted, the 27-year-old was everywhere, dropping deep to progress the ball and turning under pressure like a man possessed. He earned an 8.5 rating and looked like the kind of No. 8 United have been desperate for. That part was encouraging.
But elsewhere? Rough. Tom Heaton started nervously — almost handing Wrexham a goal in the first minute before Andrey Santos cleaned up. Harry Maguire got the captain’s armband and did his usual thing: solid enough on some plays, too slow on others, and probably should have done more on the goal. Ayden Heaven got caught napping on the Wrexham opener, and while the tools are there, he’s a work in progress.
Joshua Zirkzee was arguably the worst player on the pitch. The Dutchman earned a 2 rating after wasting a beautiful buildup from Mount and Leny Yoro with a terrible pass. He looked as out of sorts against Championship defenders as he did in the Premier League last season. The €36.5 million signing from Bologna two years ago has never really found his footing in England, and the club is reportedly looking to move him this summer. Hard to argue with that logic after this showing.
Youngsters hold their own after halftime
The second half featured a completely different XI — mostly academy kids and fringe players — and they actually looked better than the veterans in some ways. Radek Vitek made a brilliant low save in the 65th minute using his feet, which is no small thing for a 6’6″ goalkeeper. He’s probably too good to be sitting behind Senne Lammens, and a sale with a buy-back clause might make sense for everyone.
Shea Lacey was the standout of the second group. The 19-year-old winger showed off that wand of a left foot and one moment of immaculate control that had fans buzzing. He’s creative, confident on the ball, and worked hard off it. An 8 rating felt right.
Dan Gore controlled the midfield like he’d been doing it for years. He sprayed passes around with real confidence, and United dominated possession in the second half largely because of him. After a strong loan at Rotherham last season, he looks ready for a real shot somewhere — maybe at United, maybe elsewhere.
On the flip side, Toby Collyer looked like the weakest link in midfield, partly because he was pushed further forward than he’s comfortable with. Ethan Williams pressed hard but offered almost nothing on the ball. Ethan Wheatley looks the part physically at 6’2″ but didn’t back it up with production. Both feel like candidates for loans or permanent moves.
What it all means
Preseason is about fitness and experimentation, not results. But some patterns are hard to ignore. Mount’s performance in that hybrid midfield role could be a real development if Carrick sticks with it. Zirkwee’s struggles feel terminal at this point. And the young defenders — Yoro playing out of position at right-back, Jaydan Kamason looking more natural there — give Carrick some things to think about.
United’s next test comes Friday against Rosenborg in Trondheim. That match will start at 5 p.m. GMT at Lerkendal Stadion. Expect another split-squad approach, but with a few more answers needed by the time the real season starts.
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