Michael Carrick’s arrival at Manchester United in January marked a turning point for the club. Under his guidance the team surged from a seventh‑place standing to third, securing a return to the UEFA Champions League after a season of disappointment. That rapid improvement, however, came against a relatively light fixture list.
United played only 40 matches across all competitions last term – the fewest of any Premier League side and the lowest total the club has recorded since the 1913‑14 season. The reduced schedule allowed Carrick to keep his core players fresh while rivals were forced to rotate their squads more frequently. In fact, between his appointment and the end of the Premier League campaign, only five other clubs made fewer changes to their line‑ups than United. This season, the circumstances are set to change dramatically.
United’s first Champions League game against Sabah on Thursday kicks off a slate of eight guaranteed European fixtures, and the club could end up contesting as many as 67 matches in all competitions. Managing such a congested calendar will test the depth and resilience of Carrick’s side far more than the previous campaign did.
The manager himself has spoken optimistically about the upcoming workload, noting that while there may be less training time once the season is in full swing, the players will enjoy “a lot more involvement” on the pitch. He also highlighted that the majority of his squad are now accustomed to the rigours of European football, a factor that should help them cope with the added pressure. Nevertheless, the return to continental competition is a stern examination of the squad’s quality. The last time United juggled a full European programme – in the 2024‑25 season – they finished a disappointing 15th in the league.
The club now hopes to avoid a repeat of that scenario by relying on the substantial investment made over the past four years. Since 2022, United have poured more than £1 billion into player acquisitions, recording the highest net spend of any Premier League side in that period – £769.5 million after sales. Despite this massive outlay, the spending has been uneven. During the most recent summer window, the bulk of the money was directed toward the midfield.
High‑profile signings such as Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans bolstered the centre of the park, while a year earlier the club focused on its attack, bringing in Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha. Defensive reinforcements, by contrast, have been scarce. Only 19 percent of the total £1 billion investment since 2022 has been allocated to defenders – the third‑lowest share among Premier League clubs, ahead of only Liverpool and Everton, and dramatically lower than the 42 percent spent on forwards. The imbalance has produced a squad that, while stronger in certain areas, still lacks depth and quality in others.
United’s attacking line‑up is among the most valuable of the league’s traditional big six, yet their midfielders and defenders rank at the bottom in terms of market valuation. Even within the forward group there are concerns: the team boasts several supporting attackers – Mbeumo, Cunha and Amad Diallo – but relies on a single out‑and‑out striker, Benjamin Sesko, for the primary goal‑scoring role. Moreover, the side still lacks a genuine creative alternative to Bruno Fernandes, leaving the midfield’s playmaking duties heavily concentrated on one player. Another striking issue is the club’s low turnover despite the huge financial commitment.
The back four that featured in United’s 2‑2 draw with Everton – Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martínez, Harry Maguire and Diogo Dalot – was identical to the lineup fielded in Erik ten Hag’s first match in May 2022. Adding Marcus Rashford, who returned to the left of Fernandes, means that six of the eleven starters remained unchanged from that early‑season fixture.
United’s retention rate of 54.5 percent from the opening game of the 2022‑23 season to the current campaign is the highest in the league, far surpassing Arsenal’s 36.4 percent, which still produced a title‑winning side. Continuity can be beneficial, but in United’s case it appears to have fostered stagnation.
While Arsenal’s retained players – Gabriel, Ben White, Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka – have been instrumental in their recent success, many of United’s unchanged starters are more associated with underperformance than with breakthrough achievements. This lack of fresh talent, especially in defence, leaves Carrick with limited options when injuries or fatigue set in during the inevitable fixture pile‑up.
The upcoming schedule will therefore demand astute squad rotation, tactical flexibility, and perhaps a willingness to dip into the transfer market for defensive reinforcements before the winter window closes. Carrick will need to balance the desire to maintain a settled core with the necessity of giving fringe players meaningful minutes to keep the entire roster match‑fit. The club’s financial muscle suggests that a targeted signing – perhaps a versatile centre‑back or a left‑back with proven Premier League experience – could shore up the back line without disrupting the existing chemistry. In summary, Manchester United’s £1 billion rebuilding project has delivered impressive short‑term gains, notably a swift return to the Champions League.
Yet the true test lies ahead as the team confronts a grueling calendar, a still‑incomplete defensive overhaul, and a squad that has grown too familiar with itself. How Carrick navigates these challenges will determine whether United can translate their hefty investment into sustained success, or whether the club will once again find its lofty ambitions hampered by structural shortcomings.