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Manchester United brought their pre-season to a disappointing end with a 4-2 defeat to AC Milan in Wroclaw yesterday. The Red Devils struck early, but defensive frailties once again proved costly as Milan turned the game on its head. United finished their six-game pre-season with three wins, two defeats and one draw. However, pre-season is ultimately about testing methods, building fitness and finding solutions rather than simply chasing results. Here are the four biggest lessons for United supporters ahead of the new campaign. Carrick wants United to dominate through possession Head coach Michael Carrick was a crucial coaching staff member during the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reign. Solskjaer built his team around devastating counter-attacking football, leading many to wonder whether Carrick would follow a similar blueprint. The pre-season has offered a clear answer. The 44-year-old wants United to control possession while still retaining the ability to strike quickly when opportunities appear. The pace of players such as Bryan Mbeumo and Marcus Rashford could become a devastating weapon when United come up against opponents who dominate possession. INEOS must act before the transfer window closes The draw against Leeds United and the defeat to AC Milan have exposed areas where INEOS still have plenty of work to do before the summer window slams shut. Carrick desperately needs a dynamic left-back capable of challenging Luke Shaw for a starting role. With Matheus Cunha and Rashford naturally drifting inside from the left, United need a full-back capable of making relentless overlapping runs to unlock the attacking potential of that flank. Youri Tielemans looks like a quality addition, but he needs an athletic defensive midfielder alongside him to provide the necessary balance. Starting the campaign with the current squad could leave Carrick fighting with one hand tied behind his back. Big season for two defenders Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro played regularly in pre-season, primarily due to the unavailability of Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez. De Ligt is expected to miss the first few weeks of the new season. Martinez has been regularly sidelined due to injuries. At 33, Harry Maguire simply cannot be expected to shoulder the defensive workload twice every week across a gruelling campaign. This has to be the season when Heaven and Yoro step out of the shadows and establish themselves as genuine first-team stars. United sweating over fitness of key players Benjamin Sesko has failed to feature even once during pre-season and is still working his way back from the shin injury he aggravated last season. Mason Mount suffered a knock against PSG, and although his early withdrawal was described as precautionary, missing the following two friendlies has inevitably raised fresh concerns. Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo and Lisandro Martinez have all played fewer than 45 minutes after their extended break following the FIFA World Cup, while Matheus Cunha is also still searching for full match sharpness. Carrick has a few big decisions to make when selecting his starting XI against Hull City next weekend. Stats from Transfermarkt.com