Marcus Rashford made his first Manchester United appearance since December 2024. This was a pre-season finale to forget for Manchester United. Just a week away from their Premier League opener at promoted Hull City on Saturday, Michael Carrick's men took the lead twice against AC Milan before finishing on the wrong end of a 4-2 beating.

First, the positives. Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo and Lisandro Martinez all made their first appearances of pre-season. Skipper Bruno Fernandes and Youri Tielemans played for the full 90 minutes. From the looks of it, there are no fresh injury concerns for Michael Carrick at the end of a six-match pre-season that has been largely positive, albeit with a foot issue for Mason Mount in Gothenburg seven days ago that was initially shrugged off as a precaution but has now kept the in-form midfielder out for almost three full games.

The problem, whether in pre-season or when the campaign proper begins, is that results shape narratives. And losing 4-2 in Wroclaw to a Milan side led by former United boss Ruben Amorim is not a good look. Three of the four Milan goals were close-range efforts. Those with the benefit of replays – there was no VAR in operation in Wroclaw – felt one of them was offside. Ruben Loftus-Cheek rounded things off by racing beyond Martinez and not getting caught before he drove a shot past Senne Lammens, without whom the overall damage would have been worse.

Manchester United seemed to have a particular issue when AC Milan switched play to the right as Luke Shaw, who also played for the full game, had too much space to cover to get to the wing and not enough support. The gaps between defence and midfield were not big, but they were not covered adequately by United. After an eye-catching first five games this summer, this was also a day when recent signing Andrey Santos' inexperience was exposed.

Such matters will give Carrick something to think about on the flight back to Manchester as he assesses how best to go about starting the Premier League campaign. "We are disappointed with today," Carrick told MUTV afterwards. "We didn't play very well. There are no excuses."

What happens next with Rashford and Man Utd? Rashford returns in Man Utd loss to AC Milan - how the players rated. Marcus Rashford wore the vacant number nine shirt for Manchester United against AC Milan. Once they are into the meat of the season, few at Old Trafford will remember this day.

However, depending on how the situation unfolds before the transfer window closes on 1 September, it could be very significant in one way. With an hour gone, Marcus Rashford was introduced by Carrick as one of six substitutes. It was his first appearance for his boyhood club since Viktoria Plzen away in the Europa League on 12 December 2024, after which he was effectively banished by Amorim and loaned out, first to Aston Villa and then Barcelona, from where he was not expected to return.

Carrick had enough opportunities when he spoke to UK media in Maynooth on Thursday to say so if it was certain Rashford will be staying beyond this month. United officials were quick to make it known the number nine shirt Rashford wore in Poland was not permanent, to stave off any complaints from those tempted to buy one. The 28-year-old looked relaxed enough throughout.

When he was sent out for his first warm-up during the game, he applauded the positive reception he got from United supporters in the corner he was running towards. Although, within seconds, Samuel Chukwueze was tapping home AC Milan's first equaliser at the same end of the pitch.

Rashford was out later than most of his fellow substitutes for a second-half warm-up, but he still had time for a couple of passing tricks with Martinez – a World Cup semi-final rival a month ago. Once the England attacker came on, it was noticeable he stayed wider than Patrick Dorgu, the man he replaced on the left.

For the record, Dorgu and Harry Maguire were United's men on the scoresheet in this latest tune-up. Rashford's first run ended with him conceding a foul, but it wasn't long before a brilliant piece of play by the corner flag took him past an opponent. Not surprisingly, that brought many in the crowd to their feet.

As reintroductions go, it was solid, not spectacular. But it didn't need to be anything more. Premier League games at Hull and against Ipswich will offer a greater insight into Carrick's thinking. The transfer deadline will bring permanence to what remains an uncertain situation.

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