Wroclaw hosts Manchester United and AC Milan in pre-season friendly
Manchester United prepare for AC Milan friendly
Manchester United are set to face AC Milan in a pre-season friendly in Poland, a match that will see Ruben Amorim, former Old Trafford manager, take on his successor, Michael Carrick. This encounter marks the final pre-season fixture for both clubs before the start of the new Premier League season.
The friendly is scheduled for Saturday in Wroclaw, at the 42,000-capacity Tarczyński Arena. Szymon Marciniak, a Polish referee, will officiate the match. Fans can watch the game via MUTV, the club’s streaming service, which offers subscriptions for £29.99 per year.
Amorim, who was dismissed from Manchester United earlier in the year, has since taken charge at AC Milan. His tenure at Old Trafford was marked by a 38 per cent win rate, the lowest for any permanent Manchester United manager since Sir Alex Ferguson‘s retirement. He has acknowledged making mistakes during his time with United and is now attempting to implement his preferred three-at-the-back formation at Milan, reportedly facing similar challenges.
Carrick’s impact and squad changes
Michael Carrick has been at the helm of Manchester United since replacing Amorim. Under Carrick, the team secured a Champions League spot, a goal Amorim had previously stated the team was not ready for. Carrick‘s approach has been described as more aligned with the “Manchester United” style, focusing on quick forward play.
Key players have seen shifts under Carrick‘s management. Bruno Fernandes has benefited from being moved to his preferred No 10 position, leading to a new assist record in the Premier League. Andrey Santos and Bryan Mbeumo, summer recruits, have also been noted for their contributions to the team’s attacking style.
The match also features the return of Marcus Rashford to the Manchester United squad. Rashford, who had been on loan at Barcelona and Aston Villa, is wearing the No 9 shirt for the friendly, though official shirt numbers for the season are yet to be confirmed. Carrick has extended an opportunity for Rashford to re-establish himself at the club.
Team news and transfer market activity
The starting lineup for Manchester United includes Lammens, Mazraoui, Maguire, Heaven, Shaw, Andrey Santos, Tielemans, Amad, Fernandes, Dorgu, and Cunha. Substitutes listed are Heath, Mee, Amass, Dalot, Martinez, Yoro, Collyer, J Fletcher, T Fletcher, Mainoo, Gabriel, Lacey, Mbeumo, Rashford, and Zirkzee.
AC Milan‘s starting XI features Torriani, Terracciano, De Winter, Pavlovic, Chukwueze, Jashari, Musah, Estupinan, Loftus-Cheek, Cisse, and Ramos. Notable players in the Milan squad include former Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek, former Brighton left-back Pervis Estupinan, and Portugal striker Goncalo Ramos. Luka Modric, at 40 years old, is also part of the Milan squad.
Regarding transfers, Michael Carrick has stated that Manchester United still need to strengthen their squad but will not match the spending of some rivals. The club has spent approximately £85m on Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans, and Karl Darlow. This contrasts with other Premier League clubs, such as Chelsea, who acquired Morgan Rogers for £117m, Manchester City, who signed Elliott Anderson for £116m, and Tottenham, who secured Sandro Tonali in a deal potentially reaching £100m.
The match against AC Milan is the final pre-season test for Manchester United before their Premier League campaign begins against Hull next Saturday.
Source: skysports.com
As NewsUK's Senior Football Correspondent, Thomas Beckwith reports on the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side for readers across the country. He reported on three World Cups for a national news agency. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from Sheffield Hallam University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Thomas lives in Sheffield, where he watches lower-league football most weekends. “Football writing is about the decisions, not just the result.”
