Since the summer of 2022 Manchester United have splashed out roughly £219.7 million on eight new defenders, yet the back four that could line up for the first match of the 2026‑27 campaign may look identical to the one that took the field on 7 August 2022. Back then, Erik ten Hag’s debut featured the newly‑signed Argentine centre‑back Lisandro Martínez – a £56.7 million acquisition – alongside Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Diogo Dalot.
United fell 2‑1 to Brighton, and the same quartet has resurfaced in six of Michael Carrick’s 17 Premier League fixtures this season, with the possibility of another appearance against Hull City this Saturday. Despite the constant turnover in the squad, those four names have remained a constant, albeit an inconsistent one.
In the four‑year span they have only shared the pitch together ten times, and even then a majority – about sixty percent – of those games have come under Carrick’s stewardship. Their early partnership was rocky; the first two outings together ended in defeat, the most painful being a 4‑0 loss to Brentford. They were not fielded as a unit again until 30 October 2022, when United edged West Ham 1‑0.
The defensive roster has been fluid. Tyrell Malacia, who arrived in the summer of 2022, along with Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelöf, have all rotated in and out of the back line, often paired with various combinations of the core four. Maguire, in particular, found himself on the bench for large stretches of the 2022‑23 season and even missed a month due to a hamstring problem.
Both Martínez and Dalot also suffered injury setbacks that season, though Dalot’s absences have been relatively brief compared with his teammates. Martínez’s injury woes have been especially severe. After a foot injury sidelined him for most of the first half of the 2023‑24 season, he suffered a torn ACL in February 2025, keeping him out for nine months before he finally returned in November. Shaw’s availability has been equally erratic; across the 2023‑24 and 2024‑25 campaigns he managed only 27 appearances in all competitions, a reflection of recurring muscle and soft‑tissue problems.
The summer of 2024 saw a further reshuffle: Varane and Aaron Wan‑Bissaka departed, while Leny Yoro, Noussair Mazraoui and Matthijs de Ligt were added to the defensive pool, followed in January 2025 by Ayden Heaven and Patrick Dorgu. Yet consistency remained elusive, not least because of a mid‑season managerial change. Ten Hag left in October 2024 and was replaced by Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim, who stayed only 14 months.
During his tenure Amorim never fielded the Martínez‑Maguire‑Shaw‑Dalot combination, preferring a 3‑4‑3 shape that often left the back line exposed. Amorim finally switched to a back four in December 2025 for a match against Newcastle, securing a clean sheet – the first for United since early October.
However, he resigned just under two weeks later, apparently frustrated by being forced into that formation. Carrick then stepped in as caretaker and immediately reinstated the familiar quartet for a 2‑0 victory over Manchester City. He has since used that same defensive unit five more times, recording five wins and one draw, though the side kept clean sheets in only two of those games and three of the victories were narrow 3‑2 results, underscoring lingering defensive frailties. De Ligt’s long‑term back injury, which has kept him out since November 2025, further limits Carrick’s options.
Although the Dutch centre‑back returned to first‑team training this week, he has not been match‑fit for several months. Meanwhile, there have been no major defensive signings since Dorgu arrived 18 months ago. Malacia left in the most recent summer window, and both Lindelöf and Jonny Evans exited last year.
If Carrick intends to persist with the tactical blueprint he has employed over the past half‑year, he will likely need to explore additional reinforcements. Since Carrick’s arrival, United have tended to defend deep, staying compact and protecting the area in front of their own box – a strategy that produced several impressive wins. Pre‑season, however, suggested a shift toward a higher line and a more aggressive press‑and‑counter‑press approach, aiming to win the ball back quickly after losing possession.
This new style exposed vulnerabilities; in a friendly against Amorim’s Milan, United’s high line was breached for the fourth goal, highlighting the need for a more reliable left‑back. Shaw’s age – now over 30 – and his injury record mean he may need to be rotated more frequently, especially with the added fixtures that come with European competition. Fans have expressed interest in seeing Dorgu deployed at left‑back, but he has predominantly featured as a left winger under Carrick.
A conversion could provide the squad with the pace and stamina required to sustain the high‑press system, but it also raises questions about whether the player can adapt to a defensive role at the top level. Age is another factor to consider. Maguire and Shaw are both past the typical peak years for a defender, while Martínez (28) and Dalot (27) are still in what many would call their prime. Nevertheless, the ability of all four to adjust to yet another tactical overhaul remains uncertain.
In summary, despite a multitude of transfers, managerial changes, and evolving philosophies, Manchester United’s defensive core has remained eerily similar to what it was four years ago. The Martínez‑Maguire‑Shaw‑Dalot quartet continues to be Carrick’s go‑to option, but whether this lineup can endure the physical demands of modern football and the strategic shifts demanded by a high‑pressing game is still an open question.