Manchester United rounded off their pre-season schedule with a chastening 4-2 defeat to AC Milan in Wroclaw — a result that will give manager Michael Carrick plenty to ponder ahead of the Premier League opener against Hull City next Saturday.

United twice took the lead, but Milan — led by former Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim — powered back to claim a convincing victory, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek adding gloss to the scoreline in the closing stages by outpacing Lisandro Martinez before beating goalkeeper Senne Lammens.

Defensive shape under scrutiny

Three of Milan's four goals came from close range, and replays suggested at least one may have been offside — though there was no VAR in operation in Wroclaw. The recurring problem centred on United's right flank, where Luke Shaw, who played the full 90 minutes, was exposed by Milan's quick switches of play, left with too much ground to cover and too little support.

The gaps between United's defensive and midfield lines were not enormous, but they were not plugged effectively either. Andrey Santos, impressive across the earlier games of pre-season, showed his inexperience on this occasion in a game that also saw Patrick Dorgu and Harry Maguire register the goals for United.

Rashford's first appearance since December

The most significant subplot of the afternoon was the return of Marcus Rashford. The 28-year-old had not appeared for his boyhood club since a UEFA Europa League away fixture at Viktoria Plzen on 12 December 2024, after which Amorim effectively banished him — first on loan to Aston Villa and then to Barcelona, from where a permanent return had not been anticipated.

Carrick introduced Rashford as one of six second-half substitutes with roughly an hour played. The forward's reintegration was calm and measured: he acknowledged the warm applause from supporters when warming up, played a handful of neat passing combinations with Martinez — a player he faced as a World Cup semi-final opponent just weeks ago — and produced a sharp piece of skill by the corner flag that drew the crowd to its feet.

Rashford operated wider than the man he replaced, Dorgu, preferring the left channel throughout his cameo. His first run ended in a foul conceded, but the rust cleared quickly.

United officials were careful to clarify that the number nine shirt Rashford wore in Poland does not represent a permanent assignment. Whether he remains at the club beyond the 1 September transfer deadline remains unresolved — a situation Carrick deliberately avoided confirming when speaking to UK media in Maynooth two days before the match.

Broader positives before the campaign begins

Not everything was cause for concern. Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo, and Martinez all made their pre-season debuts, while Bruno Fernandes and Youri Tielemans each completed the full game. Carrick reported no new injury worries, though Mason Mount remained absent after the foot complaint he picked up in Gothenburg last week.