Manchester United is set to meet AC Milan in their final pre-season match on Saturday at the Tarczynsky Arena in Poland.
Manchester United vs AC Milan – Match preview and team news
- Date: Saturday, 15th August.
- Kick-off: 3:45pm BST.
- Venue: Tarczynsky Arena, Wroclaw, Poland.
Manchester United team news
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has named a 26-man travelling squad for the pre-season fixture in Poland, highlighted by several major selection boosts.
Marcus Rashford is set to make his first appearance for the club in 20 months after successfully reintegrating into first-team training.
Furthermore, vital duo Lisandro Martínez and Kobbie Mainoo have returned to full training and are expected to earn their first minutes of pre-season from the substitutes’ bench, while playmaker Bruno Fernandes should start to build match sharpness.
However, United face several high-profile injury absences. Star striker Benjamin Šeško completely misses the tour due to a shin injury, while midfielders Mason Mount and Manuel Ugarte remain sidelined with foot and knee knocks.
Additionally, defender Matthijs de Ligt is still recovering from major back surgery, and goalkeeper Tom Heaton’s hamstring issue hands Senne Lammens a starting opportunity.
AC Milan team news
AC Milan boss Ruben Amorim faces a severe squad crisis ahead of this high-profile reunion against his former club, with up to eight senior players unavailable.
Talismanic winger Rafael Leão has been ruled out of the fixture after picking up a fresh muscle injury during a training session.
He joins American forward Christian Pulisic on the sidelines, who is still nursing a severe bone bruise sustained during the summer World Cup, while defender Matteo Gabbia failed to travel following a late ankle knock.
In a dramatic tactical move, Amorim has also completely frozen Christopher Nkunku, Youssouf Fofana, David Odogu, and Fikayo Tomori out of the travelling roster due to ongoing squad exclusions.
On a positive note, veteran midfielder Luka Modrić has returned to full fitness and is heavily tipped to start in central midfield to anchor a depleted Milan lineup.
Form
Manchester United
Manchester United enter their final pre-season fixture showing relatively stable form under Michael Carrick, recording two wins, two draws, and one defeat. The Red Devils bounced back from an early 1-0 defeat to Wrexham by thrashing Rosenborg 5-0 and beating Atlético Madrid 2-1. Successive 1-1 stalemates followed against Paris Saint-Germain and Leeds United, though they defeated the latter 5-4 on penalties to claim the BoyleSports Cup.
AC Milan
AC Milan have endured a frustrating, winless pre-season campaign as new manager Rúben Amorim struggles to establish his system amid a severe squad crisis. The Rossoneri opened their summer schedule with back-to-back scoring draws, finishing 2-2 against Celtic before playing out a tense 1-1 derby stalemate with Inter Milan. However, their form slumped heavily in their last outing, suffering a comprehensive 3-0 defeat to Chelsea in Jakarta.
Predicted lineups
Manchester United: Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Heaven, Shaw; Tielemans, Santos; Amad, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo
AC Milan: Torriani; Terracciano, De Winter, Pavlovic; Chukwueze, Modric, Comotto, Estupinan; Loftus-Cheek, Ramos, Saelemaekers
How to watch Manchester United vs AC Milan?
The pre-season friendly between Manchester United and AC Milan will be broadcast live exclusively on MUTV in the UK.