Man Utd 2-4 AC Milan: United suffer heavy pre-season defeat ahead of Premier League opener

Manchester United's preparations for the new Premier League season ended on a worrying note as they suffered a 4-2 defeat to AC Milan in their final pre-season friendly in Wroclaw, Poland, on Saturday.

United make bright start before Milan fight back

United took the lead after just two minutes when Harry Maguire headed home from a Bruno Fernandes corner. Michael Carrick's side then threatened to extend their advantage, with Amad Diallo going close shortly afterwards.

Milan gradually grew into the match, however, and Samuel Chukwueze equalised in the 37th minute after Goncalo Ramos created the opportunity. United then missed a major chance to regain the lead before half-time when Fernandes saw his penalty saved.

Patrick Dorgu restored United's advantage six minutes after the restart, capitalising on a poor back-pass from Filippo Terracciano. But Milan responded quickly, with Alphadjo Cisse scoring at the far post in the 57th minute.

Chukwueze exposes United's right side

The momentum then shifted decisively towards Milan. Chukwueze continued to cause problems down United's right and provided the cross for Goncalo Ramos, who headed Milan in front in the 68th minute.

Just three minutes later, Ruben Loftus-Cheek completed the comeback, racing down the right before finding the net to make it 4-2.

The result exposed defensive weaknesses at a particularly inconvenient moment, with United's first Premier League fixture now less than a week away. The defeat also came against a Milan side managed by Ruben Amorim, making the result an especially notable occasion for the former United head coach.

Rashford returns as Martinez and Mainoo build fitness

There were nevertheless some positives from the match. Marcus Rashford made his first appearance for Manchester United in 20 months, while Lisandro Martinez and Kobbie Mainoo also returned following their World Cup involvement.

Carrick acknowledged afterwards that United had not performed well but insisted the squad remained ready for the opening league fixture. He pointed to the number of players getting their first minutes of pre-season and said the team would benefit from another week of training.

More questions than answers before Hull clash

United's pre-season had produced encouraging moments, including wins over Rosenborg and Atletico Madrid and a draw against Paris Saint-Germain. But the 4-2 defeat to Milan highlighted unresolved issues within Carrick's squad.

With the Premier League opener away to Hull City approaching, questions remain over the defensive balance, the midfield options and whether the squad requires further additions before the transfer window closes. The performance in Wroclaw therefore leaves United with plenty to address before competitive football begins.