Since Michael Carrick took over the reins at Manchester United in January, the club has experienced a remarkable turnaround, climbing from a seventh‑place standing to third and securing a coveted Champions League spot. That resurgence, however, is about to be put under pressure by a significantly busier calendar. The upcoming Manchester derby, scheduled just three days after United's 4-0 triumph over Sabah, will serve as the first real gauge of how the squad copes with the increased workload. The key questions are whether the team possesses enough depth to handle the added fixtures and whether the ongoing rebuild has overlooked a critical component of a balanced side.
Last season United’s fixture list was unusually light. With no participation in European competition and early exits from both the Carabao Cup (to Grimsby Town) and the FA Cup (to Brighton), the Red Devils logged only 40 matches across all tournaments. This was the joint‑fewest games played by any Premier League club and marked the lowest seasonal total for United since the 1913/14 campaign.
The reduced schedule allowed Carrick to maintain a relatively stable starting XI, rotating far less than most rivals. In fact, only five other clubs made fewer changes to their line‑ups over the same period. Such consistency is unlikely to be sustainable this term.
The Champions League tie against Sabah on Thursday kicks off a sequence of eight guaranteed European fixtures, and United could end the season with as many as 67 matches in total. Carrick has spoken positively about the prospect of a more demanding timetable, noting that while training sessions may decrease as the season progresses, player involvement will rise dramatically.
He also emphasized that the majority of his squad is now accustomed to the rigors of continental football, a stark contrast to the previous year when United were absent from Europe. Nevertheless, the return to European competition remains a stern test of squad depth. When United previously juggled domestic and continental duties in the 2024/25 season, they finished a disappointing 15th in the league. This time around the club appears better equipped financially, having spent a modest £163 million on new signings during the summer window and exceeding £1 billion in total outlays since 2022.
United now boast the highest net spend among Premier League clubs over that period, with a net expenditure of £769.5 million. The problem, however, lies in the distribution of that spending.
The summer acquisitions were heavily weighted toward the midfield, with the arrivals of Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans forming the headline signings. A year earlier, United’s investment focused on the attacking line, bringing in Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha. Defensive reinforcement has been comparatively neglected.
Only 19 percent of the £1 billion total has been allocated to defenders, placing United third‑lowest among Premier League clubs in that category—behind only Liverpool and Everton—and far below the 42 percent spent on forwards. The consequence is a squad that, while stronger in certain areas, still lacks depth and quality in others. United’s forward line is rated as the third‑most valuable among the league’s traditional big six, yet their midfielders and defenders rank at the bottom of that valuation.
Even within the attack, there are lingering concerns: the team possesses a wealth of supporting forwards such as Mbeumo, Cunha and Amad Diallo, but relies on a single out‑and‑out striker in Sesko. Moreover, the side still does not have a genuine playmaking alternative to Bruno Fernandes.
Another striking observation is the limited turnover despite the massive financial commitment. The back four that featured in Sunday’s 2‑2 draw with Everton—Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire and Diogo Dalot—was identical to the lineup fielded by Erik ten Hag in his first match in May 2022. Marcus Rashford’s return to the left of Fernandes meant that six of the starting eleven remained unchanged from the previous season. United’s retention rate of 54.5 percent, measured from the first game of the 2022/23 campaign to the latest fixture, is the highest of any club, with Arsenal trailing at 36.4 percent.
Continuity can be a virtue when it involves a core of high‑performing players, as seen at Arsenal where Gabriel, Ben White, Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka have been pivotal to their title win. In United’s case, many of the retained starters are better known for inconsistent performances, which adds to Carrick’s challenge as he prepares for a congested schedule. The defensive options, in particular, offer little reassurance.
United’s lack of investment in the back line has left the squad thin on experienced, high‑quality centre‑backs and full‑backs, forcing Carrick to rely heavily on the same players who have struggled with injuries and form over the past two seasons. This scarcity of alternatives could become a decisive factor when the team faces the cumulative fatigue of league, cup and European matches. All these factors combine to make Carrick’s task considerably tougher than it was last season. He must navigate a more intense fixture list, integrate new signings effectively, and address the glaring imbalance in the squad’s composition.
Whether United can sustain their recent resurgence while correcting these structural weaknesses will be tested in the upcoming derby and the forthcoming Champions League campaign. Fans can catch the Manchester United versus Manchester City clash live on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event from 4 pm on Sunday, with kick‑off scheduled for 4.30 pm. Additionally, there is a promotional Super 6 competition offering a chance to win £1 million, with free entry available for participants.