Manchester United’s US tour took a detour on the road as the Premier League side sent out a youthful squad of players (and Jonny Evans) to take on the highly publicised Wrexham. With the US taking the Welsh side to their hearts following their high-profile takeover and TV series, this resulted in a big split within the crowd between fans of both sides.

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Teams

Manchester United: Bishop (Vitek 46′), Fernandez, Evans (Kambwala 74′), Fish, Jurado, Gore, Collyer (Aljofree 60′), Hansen-Aaroen (Oyedele 60′), Mejbri, Shoretire (McNeill 68′), Hugill (Mejia 68′)

Subs: Mee, Harrison, Pye

Wrexham: Foster (Howard 46′), McFadzean (O’Connell 46′), Cleworth (Mendy 46′), Tozer (Boyle 46′), Hayden (Davies 46′), Forde (Hosannah 46′), Lee (Cannon 46′), O’Connor (Jones 46′), McAlinden (Dalby 46′), Palmer (Barnett 46′), Mullin (Waters 19′)

Subs: Lainton

Manchester United 1-3 Wrexham

In a memorable pre-season clash at the Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, Wrexham earned a famous 3–1 victory over a youthful Manchester United side. The League Two outfit took control in the first half, with Elliot Lee opening the scoring after 29 minutes before Aaron Hayden powered home a header seven minutes later. United’s youngsters responded just before the break through Marc Jurado, who finished off a tidy attacking move to halve the deficit going into half-time.

The second half began dramatically when United’s Dan Gore was shown a straight red card only minutes after the restart, leaving the Premier League club to play the remainder with ten men. Wrexham capitalised on their advantage, and Sam Dalby restored their two-goal cushion with a close-range header midway through the half. Though United continued to see plenty of the ball, Wrexham’s experience and organisation shone through as they comfortably saw out the result.

For United, the defeat will still have provided valuable experience for a side largely composed of academy players, while the senior squad prepared elsewhere for their upcoming fixtures. Wrexham, meanwhile, could savour a landmark win that highlighted their progress and competitive spirit since their rise under Hollywood ownership. The match wasn’t without concern, however, as Wrexham striker Paul Mullin suffered a punctured lung following a heavy collision, a sobering reminder of the risks even in a friendly encounter.

Talking Points

Manchester United’s 3–1 defeat to Wrexham in San Diego may not have been the result they wanted, but it offered vital experience for a young, rotated side. With Erik ten Hag’s senior squad preparing elsewhere, the line-up was largely made up of academy prospects and fringe players looking to impress. Despite the score line, there were positives in the composure shown by players like Hannibal Mejbri and Marc Jurado, who netted United’s lone goal after a well-worked team move. For these youngsters, the test against a physical and seasoned Wrexham outfit provided a valuable glimpse into senior-level intensity.

The most concerning moment of the night came when Wrexham striker Paul Mullin was forced off early with a serious injury following a collision with United goalkeeper Nathan Bishop. Mullin, one of Wrexham’s standout stars in their rise back to the Football League, suffered a punctured lung and required hospital treatment. Both clubs and fans reacted with concern and class, with Bishop later publicly apologising and Mullin offering reassurance from his recovery. It was an unfortunate reminder that even in pre-season friendlies, competitive spirit can sometimes lead to real consequences.

While the loss might appear disappointing on paper, it’s unlikely to cause much alarm for United. The club’s focus in this fixture was development over results, and the lessons learned by their young squad will pay dividends in the long run. With first-team regulars continuing their preparations in Houston, this setback serves more as a learning curve than a crisis. For Wrexham, meanwhile, the win will go down as another milestone moment in their remarkable journey, even if the evening was overshadowed by Mullin’s injury.