THE TIMES TODAY.
Paul Mullin sustains punctured lung as Wrexham beat Man United U-21
Phil Parkinson said Nathan Bishop should have been sent off for his challenge on the Welsh club’s star striker
Paul Hirst, San Diego
Wednesday July 26 2023, 8.40am, The Times
Mullin, who scored 46 goals in the 2022-23 season, will miss the beginning of Wrexham’s League Two campaign
Phil Parkinson, the Wrexham manager, said he was “fuming” with Nathan Bishop after a reckless challenge by Manchester United’s youth team goalkeeper left the star striker Paul Mullin in hospital with a punctured lung.
Mullin needed oxygen and five minutes’ treatment on the pitch before being helped off in the early stages of Wrexham’s pre-season win over United’s under-21 team.
Bishop, 23, ran out of his area and collided chest-to-chest with the striker as he moved towards goal.
Bishop only received a booking for the challenge
Mullin, who scored 46 goals last season, was knocked to the ground as a result and clutched his chest before medics from both teams sprinted onto the field at the Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.
“We just got a call from the hospital to say there’s a small puncture in his lung,” Parkinson said.
“It’ll probably be tomorrow morning before we get the specialist to have a look at it.
Parkinson said that Bishop was wise to steer clear of him after the match
“I’m fuming about it. It was a clumsy, reckless, challenge in a pre-season game and I’m not happy with it at all.
“I haven’t seen the goalie and he’s probably best steering clear of us for the time being because we’re not very happy.”
United said that Bishop had tried to get in touch with Wrexham after the match to check on Mullin’s condition.
The referee decided to book Bishop but then issued a red card in the second half to Dan Gore, United’s 18-year-old midfielder, for a late lunge on Andy Cannon.
Mullin was left clutching his side after the incident
“It’s a clumsy challenge from the goalkeeper, I’m disappointed with that,” Parkinson added.
“It should have been a straight red. If it’s not denying a goalscoring opportunity it’s still a dangerous challenge so if you add the two scenarios together he should have been off the pitch.
“It’s a dangerous challenge. For the other one, maybe the ref was feeling a bit bad he didn’t send the ’keeper off and it was because of that.”
Mullin will now miss the start of the season, which is Wrexham’s first campaign in the Football league for 15 years.
“Paul Mullin is our talisman and you don’t want to lose a key player in pre-season,” Parkinson said.
“You want to get back on the plane with a fully fit squad and obviously we’re not going to be able to do that.”
United were understood to be angry with Parkinson regarding his post-match comments as they viewed the collision as accidental.
They fear that such strong language could fuel online abuse towards Bishop, who was booed by Wrexham fans before he was substituted at half-time.
United’s team, made up of youth players and 35-year-old defender Jonny Evans, were easily beaten by Wrexham, who went 2-0 up courtesy of goals from Elliot Lee and Aaron Hayden.
Marc Jurado pulled one back in first-half injury time, but the dismissal of Gore made United’s task even harder and Sam Dalby rounded off the 3-1 win for Wrexham with about 20 minutes to go.
Erik ten Hag watched the match on the bench alongside Travis Binnion, the United under-21 manager.
United’s first team take on Real Madrid in their penultimate pre-season tour game on Wednesday in Houston. |  |
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