Since Michael Carrick took charge of Manchester United in January, the club has experienced a remarkable turnaround, climbing from seventh place to finish third and securing a return to the Champions League. That resurgence, however, will be put to the test this weekend when United face their city rivals in the Manchester derby, just three days after a 4-0 triumph over Sabah. The fixture marks the first real gauge of how the squad will cope with a far more demanding calendar, and it raises questions about whether the rebuilding project has overlooked a crucial component.
Last season United's fixture list was unusually light. With no European commitments and early exits from both the Carabao Cup (to Grimsby Town) and the FA Cup (to Brighton), the Red Devils played only 40 matches across all competitions. This was the joint‑fewest games of any Premier League side and the lowest total the club has recorded in a single campaign since the 1913‑14 season.
The reduced workload allowed Carrick to keep his core players fresh while rival clubs were forced to rotate more frequently. In fact, between Carrick’s appointment and the end of the league season, only five other teams made fewer changes to their starting line‑ups than United. Such consistency is unlikely to be sustainable this year.
The upcoming Champions League tie against Sabah is the first of eight guaranteed fixtures in Europe, and United could end up playing as many as 67 matches across all fronts. Carrick has spoken positively about the increased intensity, noting that "there will be less training once the season gets under way, but the players will be involved in far more matches." He also highlighted that most of his squad are now accustomed to the rigours of continental competition, a stark contrast to the previous season when United were absent from Europe. Nevertheless, the return to European football remains a litmus test for the depth of the squad. The last time United juggled a full European schedule – the 2024‑25 campaign – they finished a disappointing 15th in the league.
The club now hopes that the substantial financial investment made over the past few years will prevent a repeat of that decline. Financially, United have been among the most active spenders in the Premier League. During the summer transfer window they shelled out a modest £163 million on new arrivals, but the cumulative outlay since 2022 exceeds £1 billion, giving them the highest net spend of any top‑flight club over that period – £769.5 million after sales.
However, the allocation of those funds has been uneven. This summer’s spending was heavily weighted toward the midfield, with the acquisitions of Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans forming the headline signings. By contrast, a year earlier the focus was on the attacking line, bringing in Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.
Defensive reinforcements have been comparatively scarce. Only 19 percent of the total £1 billion investment since 2022 has been directed at defenders, the third‑lowest proportion among Premier League clubs in the same timeframe, surpassed only by Liverpool and Everton. In stark contrast, 42 percent of the spending has gone to forwards.
This imbalance has produced a squad that, while stronger in certain areas, still lacks depth and quality in others. United’s attacking unit is rated as the third‑most valuable among the league’s traditional "big six," yet their midfielders and defenders rank at the bottom of the valuation tables. Even within the attack there are lingering doubts.
Although United boast a plethora of supporting forwards – such as Mbeumo, Cunha and Amad Diallo – they rely on a single out‑and‑out striker, Benjamin Sesko, to lead the line. Moreover, the team still lacks a genuine creative alternative to Bruno Fernandes, leaving the creative burden largely on his shoulders. Another striking observation is the limited turnover in the playing staff despite the massive outlay.
The back four that featured in United’s 2‑2 draw with Everton – Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martínez, Harry Maguire and Diogo Dalot – is identical to the lineup fielded in Erik ten Hag’s inaugural match in May 2022. Marcus Rashford’s return to the side, slotting in to the left of Fernandes, meant that six starters were unchanged from that early season fixture.
This continuity has resulted in a retention rate of 54.5 percent from the first game of the 2022‑23 season to the latest match of the new campaign, the highest of any Premier League club. Arsenal sit second with a 36.4 percent retention rate, having kept Gabriel, Ben White, Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka.
While continuity can be beneficial, the nature of the retained players matters. Arsenal’s retained core have been instrumental in their title‑winning season, whereas many of United’s long‑standing starters are more closely associated with underperformance and inconsistency. For Carrick, the looming challenge is that his options, particularly in defence, do not inspire confidence.
The lack of fresh, high‑quality signings in the back line could make it difficult to rotate effectively during a congested schedule, increasing the risk of fatigue and injuries. All these factors combine to make Carrick’s task considerably tougher than it was last season. He must navigate a busier calendar, manage a squad that still shows gaps in depth, and find ways to inject fresh competition into a side that has become somewhat stale despite the club’s enormous financial commitments.
The upcoming derby will offer an early indication of how well United can adapt to these new demands and whether the £1 billion rebuild is finally bearing the fruit expected by fans and shareholders alike.