Manchester United’s pre-season opener against Wrexham ended in a 1-0 loss. There were three big topics of discussion to emerge through the game.
There was a lot more to dissect from Manchester United’s 1-0 friendly loss to Wrexham than simply the result. 22 different players represented United across the 90 minutes, each with their own individual goals ahead of the new season.
We ran a live blog covering the game in Helsinki, with input across the game from fans and United In Focus staff. Three major topics emerged during and after the game.
Andrey Santos
Andrey Santos was Manchester United’s pre-season debutant, immediately selected as a starter following his £48 million transfer move from Chelsea.
Santos played 45 minutes and showed various facets of his game, demonstrating an intent to progress the ball forward when in possession.
The initial reaction during Santos’ debut, with his ability, character and desire praised, during an eye-catching first appearance in a Manchester United shirt.
Harry Amass
One of the 11 players to be introduced as a half-time substitute was young left-back Harry Amass. His 2025/26 season was cut short by an injury early into his loan at Norwich City.
Amass has been working hard to get fully fit for pre-season, and he looked sharp and impressive during his 45 minutes against Wrexham.
United’s intentions with Amass next season are unclear, as there has been speculation the club could look to sign a new left-back. Amass’ performance hinted that United may not need to.
Amass’ performance against Wrexham was praised by fans. This was a step in the right direction in terms of earning a spot in Michael Carrick’s squad next season as Luke Shaw’s deputy.
Joshua Zirkzee
Benjamin Sesko did not travel with the squad as part of his individual training plan following an injury, and this gave Joshua Zirkzee a chance to lead the line.
Entering his third season at United, Zirkzee is yet to fully win over fans, and this performance was another concerning one.
While Zirkzee deserves the same ‘it’s only pre-season’ patience as with the rest of the squad, his tepid display did match a larger narrative, that he is not cut out to be United’s starting striker.
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
