Man United land glamour Carabao Cup tie with Wrexham

Manchester United are drawn into a high-profile Carabao Cup second round clash against Wrexham in a simulated draw.

Man United land glamour Carabao Cup tie with Wrexham

SunSport simulated the Carabao Cup second round draw, placing Manchester United in the spotlight. United enter at round two this season because they are not involved in European competition, a return to the stage they last reached in 2014. The mock draw pairs United with Wrexham, the celebrity-owned Championship club, at the Racecourse Ground, a ground of around 12,600 rather than Old Trafford's 75,000.

Across the rest of the draw, 23 matches are scheduled for the week commencing August 25, with nine Premier League sides entering in round three in September. Host Mark Chapman presented the draw, and fans were treated to upsets from round one and a glimpse of potential future ties including Sunderland vs Rotherham, Everton vs Wigan, Leeds vs Grimsby, Brentford vs Brighton, West Ham vs Bromley, Millwall vs Oxford United, Wimbledon vs Plymouth, and Cardiff vs Cambridge. The competition remains split into Northern and Southern sections until round three.

The tie highlights how the Cup blends romance with commerce in modern football. Celebrity ownership adds star power and wider media attention, but it also invites scrutiny of finances, scheduling, and competitive balance. The Cup remains a proving ground for smaller clubs while offering a national stage for big names, making every draw a chance to tell a new story.

Highlights

The Cup keeps writing its own kind of script