Wrexham recorded a famous 3-1 win over Manchester United as they downed a 10-man Reds side in a dramatic friendly in San Diego.
A hat-trick of headers from Elliot Lee, Aaron Hayden and Sam Dalby was enough to hand Phil Parkinson’s side victory, with United coming undone moments into the second half as captain Dan Gore was shown a straight red card, after Marc Jurado had pulled one back just before the break.
However, Wrexham’s win was marred by a nasty injury to star man Paul Mullin, who was taken to hospital after a sickening collision with United keeper Nathan Bishop just 10 minutes into the match.
That clash saw the striker administered oxygen on the pitch before being helped off by medical staff, still wearing an oxygen mask.
But in his absence, Wrexham rallied and Lee headed home just before the half-hour mark, minutes before Hayden doubled their lead as United were left all at sea by their opponents’ well-worked set pieces.
Jurado kept his side in it with a well-taken strike from close range shortly before half-time, but the second half got off to the worst possible start for Erik Ten Hag’s team as captain Gore was shown a harsh straight red.
The dismissal changed the game as Wrexham used their man advantage, with Dalby adding a third in the final quarter.
Rob McElhenney, in attendance at a record capacity Snapdragon Stadium, couldn’t hide his delight at the win but he, like all Wrexham fans, will be hoping Mullin’s injury is not too serious with the new season now just days away.
Man Utd starting XI: Bishop, Jurado, Fish, Evans, Fernandez, Gore (capt), Collyer, Hansen-Aaroen, Hannibal, Shortire, Hugill.
Wrexham starting XI: Foster, Hayden, Tozer (capt), Cleworth, Forde, O’Connor, McAlinden, Lee, McFadzean, Palmer, Mullin
Live updates below:
KEY EVENT
FULL-TIME: MAN UTD 1-3 WREXHAM
A famous win for Wrexham!
A hat-trick of headers from Lee, Hayden and Dalby gives Phil Parkinson’s side victory.
Admittedly the game was changed after Dan Gore’s red card moments into the second half, but the Red Dragons deserved that win after taking their chances when it really mattered.
It’s a shame that the result has been marred by that nasty injury to Paul Mullin, who was taken to hospital following his sickening collision with Nathan Bishop.
90 MINSJohn Jones
Stoppage time
Just one minute added on here.
Man Utd 1-3 Wrexham
88 MINSJohn Jones
Wrexham chance
It’s nearly a fourth as Mendy races into the box from that left flank and fires the ball across goal.
However, it’s well dealt with by Vitek.
Wrexham just moments from a famous victory here
Man Utd 1-3 Wrexham
86 MINSJohn Jones
Game paused again
Another stoppage here due to a pitch invader.
A nice little quip from the MUTV commentators: “Is that Ryan Reynolds?”
Man Utd 1-3 Wrexham
79 MINSJohn Jones
Tonight’s attendance
34,428 people inside the Snapdragon Stadium tonight – a new record.
Man Utd 1-3 Wrexham
69 MINSJohn Jones
GOAL FOR WREXHAM!
Wrexham have three!!
Mendy’s brilliant cross is met by Sam Dalby, who heads past Vitek in the Man Utd goal.
A hat-trick of headers for Wrexham tonight and it’s a long way back for 10-man United now.
Man Utd 1-3 Wrexham
68 MINSJohn Jones
United changes
Aljofree, Oyedele, McNeill and Mejia and are all on for Man Utd.
Man Utd 1-2 Wrexham
67 MINSJohn Jones
And another!
Walters is shown a yellow after a lazy swipe out at Hannibal.
Man Utd 1-2 Wrexham
50 MINSJohn Jones
Another card
The ref is proving rather card-happy as Alvaro Fernandez is shown a yellow.
Man Utd 1-2 Wrexham
47 MINSKEY EVENT
RED CARD!
Drama already!
United captain Daniel Gore is shown a red card as he dives in on Cannon with his studs up.
Seems harsh on replay and now Ten Hag’s side face a full half without their skipper.
Man Utd 1-2 Wrexham
46 MINSJohn Jones
Second half underway
We’re back in action in San Diego.
United 1-2 Wrexham
John Jones
New Wrexham XI for second half
The second half is about to get underway and Wrexham have made a full set of changes.
A full set of changes at half-time – we will now line up as follows:
Howard, Barnett, Hosannah, O’Connell, Boyle, Mendy, Jones, J.Davies, Cannon, Dalby, Waters
— Wrexham AFC (@Wrexham_AFC) July 26, 2023
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HALF-TIME: MAN UTD 1-2 WREXHAM
A strong half from Wrexham and two well-taken goals from Lee and Hayden.
Marred, however, by that worrying injury to Paul Mullin.
United 1-2 Wrexham
45 MINSKEY EVENT
Goal for Man Utd
United are back in it as Jurado scores from close range.
Disappointing for Wrexham after a strong half but a deserved goal for the Red Devils who haven’t let their heads drop
United 1-2 Wrexham
45 MINSJohn Jones
Yellow card
MacFadzean hauls down Hannibal and it’s another free-kick to United.
It’s a great ball into the box but Wrexham scramble it away.
Some lengthy stoppage time here after Mullin’s injury
Man United 0-2 Wrexham
36 MINSKEY EVENT
GOAL FOR WREXHAM!!
It’s two!!!
Hayden adds a second as he heads past Bishop.
United are all at sea as they struggle to deal with Tozer’s signature long throw-in, and Hayden outjumps both Fish and Hugill to score.
How about this for a Hollywood script?
Man United 0-2 Wrexham
29 MINSKEY EVENT
GOAL FOR WREXHAM!
How about that!
Wrexham take the lead in San Diego as the unmarkec Elliot Lee heads home!!
Man Utd 0-1 Wrexham
22 MINSJohn Jones
Wrexham chance
First save of the night as Elliot Lee fires a powerful shot right at Bishop.
Man Utd 0-0 Wrexham
John Jones
Mullin is up
Relief here as the Wrexham man is back on his feet, albeit in some discomfort.
He’s still receiving oxygen as he leaves the pitch and replaced by Billy Walters
Man Utd 0-0 Wrexham
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Real concern here
Mullin is still down and being given oxygen, while a medical cart is also on the field.
Real concern on the faces of Wrexham players and Phil Parkinson as their star man looks in real trouble.
Man Utd 0-0 Wrexham
John Jones
Mullin down injured
This doesn’t look good
Mullin looks in trouble as Nathan Bishop rushes out of his goal and clatters into the Wrexham striker, who has stayed down.
A yellow card is shown to the United keeper, should be a red.
Man Utd 0-0 Wrexham
10 MINSJohn Jones
United free-kick
Cleworth concedes a foul and United have a free-kick in a dangerous area.
Hannibal to take…
But it comes to nothing.
Man Utd 0-0 Wrexham
6 MINSJohn Jones
United dominating
United looking dangerous early on, with Toby Collyer and Hannibal looking lively.
Wrexham struggling to get on the ball so far.
Man Utd 0-0 Wrexham
1 MINJohn Jones
Kick-off
And we’re off in San Diego!
Man Utd 0-0 Wrexham
John Jones
Teams are out
The players are out on the pitch at the Snapdragon Stadium, with United wearing their new away kit for the first time.
Time for a rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner and then we’ll be underway
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A date for your diary
The second series of Welcome to Wrexham is coming soon…
To win it all, you have to give everything. FX’s #WelcomeToWrexham season 2 is coming September 13 Disney+. pic.twitter.com/edfT5wQpaj
— Disney+ UK (@DisneyPlusUK) July 25, 2023
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Manager’s comments
Here’s what Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson had to say about today’s game:
“I don’t think we will get much bigger friendlies than Manchester United and Chelsea. They are the teams that everyone looks up to, alongside the top Premier League teams and it’s incredible to test yourself against those players.
“There’s practically a team full of internationals even when it’s not their best 11 – the ones beneath that are quite often international players.
“I’m happy with the team that we’re playing, we’ve got to be realistic and if Manchester United had their full team out it would be an evening of us not having much of the ball.
“I think it’s going to be a very competitive game for the supporters to watch – that’s what the aim is and for us in terms of where we need to get to, this game is right for us.”
John Jones
So far in the US…
It’s been an unforgettable pre-season tour for Wrexham’s players, albeit one that has delivered mixed results on the pitch.
Phil Parkinson’s men were well beaten by Chelsea last week as the 2021 Champions League winners triumphed 5-0 in a comfortable victory – but they made amends at the weekend with an impressive 4-0 win over LA Galaxy II.
Meanwhile, Man United downed Premier League rivals Arsenal 2-0 in New York, having also beaten Lyon and Leeds back home in the UK.
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Rob’s in the house!
Rob McElhenney is in attendance at the Snapdragon Stadium and has spoken to MUTV ahead of kick-off.
“We’re just so humbled by this entire experience,” he said. “It’s just incredible, there are thousands of fans here all wearing red, so we can’t say for sure who they support!”
“What we’re seeing in the USA right now is a massive wave of interest [in football]. Something that I didn’t know until three years ago, football is the greatest sport in the world. I genuinely believe that now.”
Rob McElhenney welcomes the Wrexham players pic.twitter.com/r5qWIbiQSD
— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) July 26, 2023
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Friends reunited
Fun fact – Jonny Evans and Ben Foster, both starters in today’s fixture, were both in the Man United squad for their pre-season tour of South Africa all the way back in 2006
Some story for the two veterans, who were also at West Brom together between 2015 and 2018.
