Marcus Rashford made his long-awaited return to Manchester United after 20 months, taking to the field against AC Milan in their final pre-season fixture. The England international, who spent last season on loan at Barcelona and previously at Aston Villa, came on as a second-half substitute under manager Michael Carrick.

This match marked a significant moment for Rashford, as he faced former head coach Ruben Amorim, who had sidelined him in December 2024. The game ended in a disappointing 4-2 defeat for United in Wroclaw, Poland. Rashford wore the No 9 shirt, despite United's official squad numbers still pending confirmation, and played on the left wing.

Carrick expressed excitement over Rashford's return, stating, "He’s our player, and he’s a good player. Marcus can offer us so much."

In the match, Harry Maguire opened the scoring for United just two minutes in. However, Samuel Chukwueze quickly equalized for Milan. After a brief lead from Patrick Dorgu, Milan surged ahead with goals from Alphadjo Cisse, Goncalo Ramos, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Other notable pre-season matches included Chelsea defeating Real Sociedad 3-1, with Morgan Rogers scoring on his debut, while Tottenham triumphed 3-0 over Hoffenheim. In contrast, Aston Villa suffered a 2-1 loss to Borussia Monchengladbach.

As United gears up for their Premier League opener against Hull City, Carrick faces challenges after the heavy defeat, with Rashford potentially playing a key role moving forward.