A young Man Utd side were booed by fans after defeat to Wrexham with Paul Mullin also rushed to hospital with a punctured lung.
Manchester United goalkeeper Nathan Bishop has said sorry to Wrexham’s Paul Mullin after a sickening collision involving the two on the 12th minute of the pre-season friendly in San Diego.
Mullin received oxygen and six minutes of treatment from medics, and was unable to play any further part in the game, but managed to walk off the pitch.
He has since found out that he suffered a punctured lung after he was taken out by Bishop during the Welsh side’s 3-1 win.
An update from SPM, we’re all behind you Mulls!
🔴⚪️ #WxmAFC | #WxmUSTour pic.twitter.com/WGMYnHcdqd
— Wrexham AFC (@Wrexham_AFC) July 26, 2023
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson fumed at United goalkeeper Nathan Bishop for the ‘reckless’ challenge.
Bishop was lucky to escape with just only a yellow card from referee Mark Allatin who quickly realised the severity of Mullin’s injury and urgently called Wrexham’s medical staff onto the pitch.
United’s doctors assisted as well with Mullin helped off the pitch by two medics as he breathed gas and air through a mask.
Wrexham’s top scorer was then taken to hospital in San Diego where he was found to have a punctured lung and kept in overnight.
Manager Phil Parkinson has confirmed Paul Mullin has suffered a punctured lung. Get well soon, Mulls!
🔴⚪ #WxmAFC | #WxmUSTour pic.twitter.com/fnk846kGxt
— Wrexham AFC (@Wrexham_AFC) July 26, 2023
Bishop received boos from Wrexham fans and local supporters after the incident and then replaced by Radek Vitek at half time – however United insist that the move was planned.
The 23-year-old reached out to the Wrexham dressing room to make contact with Mullin, though Parkinson was not in a forgiving mood.
‘I’m fuming about it, I’ve got to be honest with you,’ said Parkinson. ‘It was a clumsy, reckless challenge in a pre-season game and I’m not happy with it at all.
‘We just got a call from the hospital to say there’s a small puncture in his lung. It’ll probably be tomorrow morning before we get the specialist to have a look at it.
‘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.
‘It should have been a straight red. If it’s not denying a goal scoring 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 and obviously Paul Mullin is our talisman.’
United say they were unhappy with Parky for ‘inflaming the situation’ with his comments leading to social media abuse towards their young player who was already dealing with a difficult situation.
Bishop took to Twitter after the match to issue an apology to Mullin.
‘Just wanted to share my sincerest apologies to @PMullin7 A complete misjudgement and a genuine accident with 0 malicious intent at all!’ he wrote.
‘Wishing you the speediest recovery and hope to see you back scoring goals as soon as possible!’
Wrexham co-owner and Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds wrote: ‘Paul Mullin puts his last drop of blood into everything he does. The entire @Wrexham_AFC community is pulling for a speedy recovery.’
Parkinson is now waiting to discover just how long Mullin will be out of action, (usually between 6 to 8 weeks to fully recover).
But it is certain he will definitely miss the League Two season opener at home to MK Dons a week on Saturday.
‘I don’t know, I’ve only just got the news in the second half,’ he added. ‘One of the physios went with him (to hospital). We’ll find out later. But I think when you’ve got a punctured lung and you’ve got 10 days to get fit you’re saying no.
‘We all stick together and we will give Paul every bit of support we can to get back as fit as possible. One thing about Mulls is he’s tough.’
The referee sent off United captain Dan Gore early in the second half for a more innocuous challenge on Wrexham substitute Andy Cannon, and Parkinson thought he may have been ‘feeling a bit bad he didn’t send the keeper off’.
Travis Binnion, Man Utd’s head of the academy’s player development and coaching, took charge of the team despite Erik ten Hag beinng in the dugout, and insisted there was no malice in Bishop’s challenge.
‘We’ve looked at it and he’s unfortunate,’ said Binnion. ‘Obviously, there’s a challenge in the first half when Mullin gets injured, and we hope he’s alright. I know Bish has reached out to him already and the referee could have sent him off for that.
‘It’s part and parcel of the game, nobody wants to see anyone get injured. He (Bishop) has made an honest challenge and he (Mullin) has come off worse. He has already reached out to him. Booing him, it is what it is. He’s a great lad Bish, he hasn’t got a bad bone in his body.’
Foster’s words to Nathan Bishop following the injury to Paul Mullin: “I feel so bad for Nathan though, he’s absolutely heartbroken. I passed Paul’s number onto Nathan so he can get in touch with him, but yeah he’s absolutely gutted, I feel for the lad.”
United: Bishop (Vitek 45); Jurado, Fish, Evans (Kambwala 74), Fernandez; Collyer (Aljofree 59), Gore; Shoretire (Mejia 68), Hannibal, Hansen-Aaroen (Oyedele 59); Hugill (McNeill 68).
Unused substitutes: Harrison, Mee, Pye.
Goal: Jurado 45+5.
Wrexham: Foster (Lainton 45); Forde (Barnett 45), Hayden (Hosannah 45), Tozer (O’Connell 45), Cleworth (Boyle 45), McFadzean (Mendy 45); McAlinden (Jones 45), O’Connor (Cannon 45), Lee (Davies 45); Palmer (Dalby 45), Mullin (Waters 19).
Goals: Lee 29, Hayden 36, Dalby 69.
Yellow cards: McFadzean 45, Waters 65.
Here’s how fans reacted as Man Utd are booed after defeat to Wrexham with Paul Mullin rushed to hospital with a punctured lung…
@natalieastle: What a hero! Speedy recovery ❤️🩹 we’re all behind you 💪🏼
@PhilScottMRTPI: That type of language just isn’t appropriate, the kid made an error, it happens in contact sports. Both managers and clubs need to dial-down the heat on this.
@ianpauljones: Glad to see the thumbs up.. but looks worrying!
@o_ddifri: Desperate for you to play of course but your health is the most important thing. All the very best.
@sandyridge17: That’s disastrous preparation for the new season. Speedy recovery @PMullin7
@SJaneyWrexham: I’ll miss him on the pitch, but I hope he takes his time, heals up and comes back 100%. ❤️⚽️❤️
@GZanellan: Not the news I wanted to wake up to! 🤦♂️😫🤦♂️
@rafawills619: Shocking from a friendly. No need for the challenge. Get well soon super Paul Mullin
@JohnnyB90773672: He has a right to be frustrated but to say the keeper should steer clear is unnecessary
@Davestevenson_: Poor comments from Phil Parkinson! It’s a mistake from an inexperienced young goalkeeper against a very experienced pro.
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