Manchester United dropped their opening pre-season game against Wrexham on Saturday, but head coach Michael Carrick wasn’t down in the dumps. He saw some serious positives, especially from his second-half squad of academy wonderkids. Carrick specifically shouted out how much control that young squad showed, saying they took “responsibility” and flashed their “quality” against a tough Wrexham side.
The Kids Are Alright, Especially One Kid
Carrick was super clear about his satisfaction with the second-half performance. He felt those youngsters really controlled the game, which is huge against a team that makes you work for every inch. Finding that sharpness and creation is tough this early, but he believes it’s coming. The real eye-opener, though, was one player in particular who spent the second half of last season away from the team. Jacob Devaney, 19, just stole the show.
Devaney Dominates Out of Position
This kid, Devaney, usually runs the defensive midfield, sometimes even drops back to centre-back. But Carrick threw him right into the heart of defense against Wrexham’s physical striker, Kieffer Moore. And guess what? Devaney absolutely crushed it. Carrick couldn’t stop praising him, saying Devaney “did ever so well” even though playing centre-half isn’t his natural gig. He highlighted Devaney’s confidence, assurance, how vocal and commanding he was out there. After a successful loan spell in Scotland with St Mirren, Devaney is clearly carrying that momentum, and with United needing midfield reinforcements, he could step up big time if they need him.
Tyler Fletcher also got some love from Carrick, earning the captain’s armband for the second half after an eventful few months that saw him get his first United start and make Scotland’s World Cup squad. He led the team “really well.” What’s next for Devaney? He’s definitely boosted his chances of playing against Rosenborg next week. Let’s see if these youngsters keep impressing and push their way into regular contention!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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