Andrey Santos made a bright first Manchester United appearance as they lost 1-0 in a pre-season friendly against Wrexham in Helsinki. Sam Smith scored the only goal with an easy finish six minutes before half-time, minutes after heading against his own crossbar defending a corner.
United were without the players who have featured at the World Cup, including their new signing Youri Tielemans, as well as Benjamin Sesko, but Michael Carrick put out a strong starting XI in front of 20,000 spectators.
Santos, who became United’s first summer signing when he joined from Chelsea at the start of the week for an initial £48m, took his place at the base of midfield alongside Mason Mount.
Carrick had praised the Brazilian’s attitude before the match, saying: “He’s a fantastic character. He’s settled in so quickly and he’s buzzing to be here”
The 22-year-old soon settled in, showing a good range of passing and winning several duels in a busy display. However, Wrexham, who played their first pre-season friendly against Wisla Krakow last weekend, were looking brighter and threatened when Bailey Cadamarteri nicked the ball off Ayden Heaven before the defender recovered.
United’s first chance was a Joshua Zirkzee shot that fizzed wide in the 24th minute and they almost went ahead when Smith tried to clear a corner but hit the bar in the 36th minute. Smith was soon on the scoresheet, tapping in after Lewis O’Brien’s cross appeared to go through Harry Maguire’s legs.
Twenty one of the 22 players were replaced at half-time, with only Wrexham’s Aaron James staying on, and Carrick sent out a side of academy products against a Wrexham team including Conor Coady and Kieffer Moore.
United dominated the ball but struggled to fashion chances as the pace of the game dropped. Wrexham threatened with a low shot from Davis Keillor-Dunn but Radek Vitek made the save.
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When Ethan Wheatley prodded Harry Amass’s cross goalwards in the 78th minute, it was their first shot on target but Dan Ward made the save before holding a low drive from Shea Lacey.
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Heaton (Vítek, h-t); Yoro (Kamason, h-t), Maguire (Devaney, h-t), Heaven (Armer, h-t), Shaw (Amass, h-t); Mount (T Fletcher, h-t), Santos (Gore, h-t); Mbeumo (Lacey, h-t), J Fletcher (Collyer, h-t), Dorgu (Williams, h-t); Zirkzee (Wheatley, h-t)
Wrexham (3-4-2-1): Okonkwo (Ward, h-t); Vyner (Hyam, h-t), Scarr (Coady, h-t), Doyle (Brunt, h-t); A James (Moore, 70), M James (Rathbone, h-t), O’Brien (Dobson, h-t), Thomason (Ashfield, h-t); Smith (Barnett, h-t), Broadhead (Keillor-Dunn, h-t); Cadamarteri (Moore, h-t)
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