Preview: Manchester United vs Wrexham - prediction, team news, lineups

Manchester United's preparations for the 2026-27 campaign will officially begin on Saturday in Helsinki, Finland, as the 20-time English champions take on Championship outfit Wrexham.

The Red Devils are building towards their Premier League opener against Hull City on August 22, while Wrexham's 2026-27 season starts in their EFL Cup against Middlesbrough on August 7.

Match preview

Man United will take on Wrexham in the first of six friendlies this summer, as Michael Carrick's side build towards their 2026-27 Premier League opener, which comes against newly-promoted Hull City on August 22.

It will not be a regular pre-season due to the 2026 World Cup, with Man United staying in Europe for their friendly fixtures, and a highly-interesting schedule will see them face Rosenborg, Atletico Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Leeds United and AC Milan after this one.

Man United finished third in last season's Premier League table to secure a return to the Champions League, with Carrick handed the managerial job on a full-time basis, and it is shaping up to be a very interesting campaign for the 20-time English champions.

The Red Devils have already made three signings this summer, with Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Karl Darlow arriving at Old Trafford; the expectation is that three more will arrive before the end of the transfer market.

Man United have faced Wrexham in five competitive matches, winning all five - the last of which was a 5-2 success in the fourth round of the FA Cup in January 1995.

Wrexham will hope that the future equals more matches against Man United, as the Welsh outfit look for another promotion challenge in the Championship in 2026-27.

The Reds finished seventh in the Championship last term, missing out on the playoffs by just two points, and it has been an incredible period in the club's history, rising from the National League to the Championship in just four seasons.

A third straight promotion to England's top flight would have represented one of the biggest stories in the history of football, but Wrexham's challenge will be to go again next term, and the start of their new campaign is just around the corner.

Indeed, Phil Parkinson's side have friendlies against Leeds United, Liverpool and Sunderland in the Premier League Summer Series after this match, before beginning their new campaign in the EFL Cup against Middlesbrough on August 7.

Wrexham will then tackle Cardiff City in their Championship opener on August 17, and there is expected to be a lot more transfer business at the club before that point.

The Welsh outfit have already played once this summer, drawing 0-0 with Wisla Krakow in a pre-season clash on July 11.

Wrexham friendly form:

Team News

Man United could hand debuts to Darlow and Santos on Saturday, with both players expected to be in the squad, but fellow new arrival Tielemans has not yet joined up with his new teammates due to his involvement for Belgium at the 2026 World Cup.

Lisandro Martinez (Argentina), Matheus Cunha (Brazil), Diogo Dalot (Portugal), Bruno Fernandes (Portugal), Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast), Tyler Fletcher (Scotland), Altay Bayindir (Turkey), Kobbie Mainoo (England), Senne Lammens (Belgium), Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco) and Marcus Rashford (England) are also absent for the same reason.

Harry Amass, Shea Lacey, Tyler Fredricson, Jack Fletcher and Toby Collyer are among the youngsters to have joined up with the squad, while first-team stars Leny Yoro, Patrick Dorgu, Ayden Heaven, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Joshua Zirkzee are all available.

Sesko may miss out due to a shin injury which caused him issues in the latter stages of last season, while Matthijs de Ligt and Manuel Ugarte are long-term absentees.

As for Wrexham, the club are yet to make a first-team signing, but there have been a number of departures, including legendary forward Paul Mullin.

Matty James and Ollie Rathbone, who are Man United academy graduates, could take on their former club in this match.

Wrexham played different XIs in each half of their pre-season clash with Wisla Krakow last time out, and that could again be the case this weekend, but Kieffer Moore is likely to be given the nod from the first whistle.

Manchester United possible starting lineup:

Darlow; Yoro, Maguire, Heaven, Shaw; Santos, Collyer; Lacey, Mount, Dorgu; Mbeumo

Wrexham possible starting lineup:

Ward; James, Scarr, Doyle, Barnett; James, O'Brien, Thomason; Keillor-Dunn, Cadamarteri, Moore

We say: Manchester United 3-1 Wrexham

It is always difficult to know exactly what to expect from games at the start of pre-season, but Man United will have a number of first-team stars available, and we can see the Red Devils beginning their preparations for the new season with a win.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.