Manchester United’s pre-season ended on a disappointing note as they suffered a 4-2 defeat to AC Milan, leaving manager Michael Carrick with plenty to consider before the Premier League season begins.

With United’s opening league match against promoted Hull City only a week away, the defeat exposed several defensive weaknesses despite some encouraging individual returns.

Rashford, Mainoo and Martinez Return

There were several positives for Carrick, with Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo and Lisandro Martinez all making their first appearances of pre-season.

Captain Bruno Fernandes and Youri Tielemans also completed the full 90 minutes.

United appear to have avoided any major new injury concerns during their six-match pre-season campaign.

However, Mason Mount remains an absence after suffering a foot problem in Gothenburg last week. What initially appeared to be a precaution has now kept the midfielder out for almost three matches.

Milan Punish United’s Defensive Weaknesses

The biggest concern for Carrick will be the manner in which United conceded.

Three of Milan’s four goals came from close range, exposing problems with defensive organisation and the space between United’s defence and midfield.

One of the goals also appeared questionable from an offside perspective when viewed on replays, although VAR was not being used during the match in Wroclaw.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek added Milan’s fourth after breaking beyond Martinez before finishing past goalkeeper Senne Lammens.

Problems When Milan Switched Play

United appeared particularly vulnerable when Milan quickly switched the ball towards the right side.

Luke Shaw, who played the entire match, was often left with too much ground to cover and insufficient support from teammates.

The spaces between United’s defensive and midfield lines were not necessarily large, but they were not being protected effectively enough.

That allowed Milan to exploit gaps and create dangerous opportunities around the penalty area.

Andrey Santos Faces a Tough Test

Recent signing Andrey Santos also endured a difficult evening.

After impressing during parts of United’s pre-season, the midfielder’s lack of experience became more apparent against a strong Milan side.

Carrick will need to decide how much responsibility to give the youngster when competitive football begins.

Carrick Has Plenty to Consider

The defeat is particularly significant because United’s previous five pre-season matches had produced plenty of encouragement.

However, results can quickly influence expectations and narratives, especially when the Premier League opener is just days away.

Carrick acknowledged the disappointing performance after the match.

“We are disappointed with today,” he told MUTV. “We didn’t play very well. There are no excuses.”

The Manchester United manager now has a week to address the defensive issues exposed by Milan and determine his strongest team for the opening league fixture.

The return of Rashford, Mainoo and Martinez provides encouragement, but the 4-2 defeat suggests there is still plenty of work to do before United begin their Premier League campaign.