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Manchester United may have suffered defeat in their opening pre-season clash against Wrexham on Saturday, but head coach Michael Carrick found plenty of positives to take from the outing.

Carrick fielded two completely different line-ups across the halves. The senior players featured in the first 45 minutes, which included a few intriguing tactical adjustments, while the second half was handed over entirely to academy prospects.

Speaking to MUTV after the match, Carrick revealed that he believed his side exerted greater control after the interval.

“I was really pleased with the second-half team. I thought they controlled the match very well against opponents who are not easy to face.

“They make you work hard for everything. Overall, the boys took responsibility and showed their quality. Of course, that last bit — breaking down a crowded defence in front of goal — takes a bit of sharpness and creativity, which isn’t easy to find at this stage of pre-season.

“But that will come. I was really pleased with the young players in the second half; they can be very proud of themselves.”

The manager’s words were fully justified, reflecting the composure and courage displayed by United’s youngsters against a physically robust Championship side.

Among all the academy talents, one player who particularly stood out was Jacob Devaney — who had spent the latter half of last season on loan away from Carrington.

Devaney had impressed at St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership and appears to have caught Carrick’s attention with his performance.

The 19-year-old, naturally a defensive midfielder, is also capable of playing as a centre-back when required. Carrick deployed the Republic of Ireland Under-21 international in central defence against Wrexham’s powerful striker Kieffer Moore.

It’s fair to say Devaney passed the test with flying colours, boosting his prospects of featuring again when United face Rosenborg next week. With the club still exploring options for midfield reinforcements, the Barnsley-born youngster could offer a timely internal solution.

“They can go long into Kieffer Moore, and JD [Jacob Devaney] was at centre-half — it’s not his natural position. He’s played there occasionally but not often, and I thought he did extremely well,” Carrick remarked.

“He had a really strong few months in Scotland, and it was great to see him take that next step. The confidence and composure he showed, even in a different role, stood out. He was vocal, commanding, and I liked a lot of what he did today.”

Another youngster to earn a mention was Tyler Fletcher. From making his first United start under Carrick to earning his international debut and then being selected for Scotland’s World Cup squad, the past few months have been eventful for the Scottish midfielder.

He added another achievement to his growing résumé by captaining United’s second-half side in Finland — a decision that paid off, with Carrick praising his leadership.

“He’s had an eventful three or four months, Tyler. He didn’t want a long break after the World Cup; he was eager to get straight back into it. He took on that responsibility and led the team really well in the second half,” the manager added.

With such promising displays, Carrick will be hopeful that several of these youngsters can transition into regular first-team roles as the new season approaches.