Young Manchester United goalkeeper Nathan Bishop instantly became the villain against Wrexham as his ugly challenge saw star man Paul Mullin hospitalised in San Diego

Paul Mullin, a Wrexham striker, was knocked unconscious by Manchester United’s rookie goalkeeper Nathan Bishop during a preseason match, and he had to be carried off the field while wearing an oxygen mask and taken straight to the hospital.

Bishop clashed with the 28-year-old after misjudging the ball’s flight, causing a seven-minute break in play. After 13 minutes, Bishop flew out of his area and slammed into Mullin with considerable force.

The striker stayed down and was immediately given oxygen while he was surrounded by medical personnel, and a stretcher was promptly brought onto the pitch. Bishop was fortunate to remain on the pitch despite receiving a yellow card for the unsportsmanlike challenge.

Thankfully, Mullin’s oxygen mask remained attached as he left the field before being replaced by Billy Waters. He was still brought right afterwards to a nearby hospital for additional examinations, and management Phil Parkinson later disclosed he had a punctured lung.

Parkinson said: “I mean, listen, Mulls has got a small puncture in his lung, he’s in hospital at the moment.

“But it’s a clumsy challenge from the goalkeeper and, for me, there’s no need to make it. It’s a straight red. The reason it’s a straight red, and even if the ref said to me that maybe there’s a covering defender, it’s a dangerous challenge.

“If you add those two situations up, he should’ve been off the pitch. Listen, it’s a massive blow for us to lose Paul. He’s an outstanding player.”

Bishop was booed by the fans whenever he touched the ball at Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego after the incident. He was replaced at half-time by Radek Vitek among wholesale changes made by both teams.

“It’s reckless, its dangerous, doesn’t get anywhere near the ball,” co-commentator Stewart Robson said on ESPN when reviewing the awful challenge.

Wrexham will be hoping Mullin’s injury doesn’t rule him out for too long. He scored 38 goals in 46 National League games last season, and scored a brace in their 3-1 win over Boreham Wood which sealed promotion.

The striker joined Wrexham in July 2021, becoming the main striker under new owners Reynolds and McElhenney. Mullin has also been one of the main stars of the hit series ‘Welcome to Wrexham’, becoming a global icon due to his popularity.

Mullin has experience in League Two, and rejected a new contract with Cambridge United to sign for Wrexham. Fans were puzzled when Mullin dropped down divisions at the age of just 26, but his decision appears to be a stroke of genius two years later.

Pre-season started poorly for Wrexham, as they lost 5-0 to Chelsea to kick off their first tour of the United States. However, they soon fought back with a 4-0 win against LA Galaxy II before heading to San Diego to face United.

Mullin’s injury was soon followed by two goals though, as Elliot Lee became the first player to score past United this pre-season before Aaron Hayden added a second. Marc Jurado halved the deficit just before the break but Dan Gore was sent off for another hard challenge shortly after the break.

Wrexham closed out a 3-1 win to condemn United to their first pre-season defeat, albeit without any of their first-team stars. United have beaten Leeds, Lyon and Arsenal without conceding a goal and face Real Madrid in Houston just 24 hours later.