As the season gathers pace, this day will likely fade from memory at Old Trafford.
Yet, depending on what happens before the transfer window shuts on 1 September, it could still prove pivotal.
After an hour, Carrick brought on Marcus Rashford as one of six changes.
It was his first outing for his boyhood club since the Europa League trip to Viktoria Plzen on 12 December 2024—after which Amorim effectively froze him out and sent him on loan to Aston Villa and then Barcelona, where a return seemed unlikely.
When Carrick spoke to UK media in Maynooth on Thursday, he had ample opportunity to confirm Rashford would remain beyond this month, had that been certain.
United officials quickly clarified that the number nine shirt Rashford wore in Poland is not a permanent assignment, to deter any premature purchases.
The 28-year-old looked composed throughout.
During his first in-game warm-up, he acknowledged the warm reception from United fans in the corner he approached—only for Samuel Chukwueze to slot AC Milan’s first equaliser at the same end moments later.
He came out later than most substitutes for the second-half warm-up but still shared a few passing tricks with Martinez—a World Cup semi-final opponent just a month earlier.
Once the England forward entered, he held a wider position than Patrick Dorgu, the man he replaced on the left. For the record, Dorgu and Harry Maguire were United’s scorers in this latest tune-up.
His first burst ended with a conceded foul, but soon after he produced a clever piece of play by the corner flag to glide past an opponent.
Unsurprisingly, that brought many in the crowd to their feet.
As returns go, it was steady rather than spectacular—and that was enough.
Upcoming Premier League fixtures at Hull and against Ipswich should reveal more of Carrick’s intentions. The transfer deadline will give definition to what remains an unsettled situation.