Michael Carrick’s arrival in January sparked a dramatic turnaround for Manchester United, lifting the club from a seventh‑place finish to third and securing a coveted Champions League spot. That resurgence, however, now meets its first real examination in the upcoming Manchester derby, just three days after United’s emphatic 4-0 victory over Sabah. The fixture will reveal whether the squad can cope with a substantially heavier calendar and whether the massive rebuilding effort has overlooked a crucial component of a balanced team.
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 managed only 40 matches across all competitions.
This was the joint‑fewest games played by any Premier League side and the lowest total the club has logged in a single season since the 1913‑14 campaign. The reduced workload allowed Carrick to keep his core eleven fresh while rival clubs were forced to rotate players more frequently. In fact, between his appointment and the end of the Premier League season, only five other teams made fewer changes to their starting line‑ups than United.
That level of consistency is unlikely to be sustainable now. The upcoming clash against Sabah marks the first of at least eight guaranteed Champions League fixtures, and United could end up contesting as many as 67 games if they progress deep into domestic cups and European competition. Carrick has spoken positively about the upcoming increase in intensity, noting that while training sessions may be trimmed as the season progresses, player involvement will rise dramatically.
He also highlighted that most of his squad members are already accustomed to the rigors of European football, which should help them adapt. Nevertheless, the return to continental competition remains a stern test. In the 2024‑25 season, when United attempted to juggle European duties alongside domestic obligations, they finished a disappointing 15th in the league.
This historical footnote underscores the importance of depth and balance across the entire roster. Financially, United have been among the most active clubs in recent years. They spent a modest £163 million on new arrivals during the summer window, but the cumulative outlay since 2022 exceeds £1 billion, giving them the highest net spend of any Premier League side over that period – a staggering £769.5 million.
However, the allocation of that money 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 club’s budget was directed primarily at the attack, bringing in Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.
Defensive reinforcements have been conspicuously scarce. Only 19 percent of the total £1 billion investment since 2022 has been earmarked for defenders, placing United third‑lowest among Premier League clubs in that category – ahead of only Liverpool and Everton – while a whopping 42 percent has been poured into forward positions. The consequence is a squad that, while stronger in certain areas, still lacks depth and quality in others.
United’s attacking line‑up 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 forward line there are lingering doubts.
The team boasts a wealth of supporting attackers – Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Amad Diallo – but relies on a single out‑and‑out striker in Benjamin Sesko. Moreover, the side still lacks a genuine alternative playmaker to complement Bruno Fernandes, leaving the creative burden largely on his shoulders.
Another striking observation is the limited turnover in the playing staff despite the billion‑pound outlay. Astonishingly, 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 by Erik ten Hag in his debut back in May 2022. Marcus Rashford’s return to the left of Fernandes means that six starters have remained unchanged, suggesting a degree of stagnation that belies the club’s massive spending. United’s retention rate – 54.5 percent from the first match of the 2022/23 season to the latest game of the current campaign – is the highest of any top‑flight club, with Arsenal trailing at 36.4 percent (having kept Gabriel, Ben White, Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka).
While continuity can be advantageous, the comparison highlights a key difference: Arsenal’s retained players have been instrumental in their title‑winning season, whereas many of United’s long‑standing starters are more often associated with underperformance. For Carrick, the looming challenge is clear. He must navigate a far more congested schedule while contending with a defensive unit that offers limited options and a midfield that, despite recent signings, still lacks a clear hierarchy. The combination of a demanding fixture list, an unbalanced transfer strategy, and a squad that has shown signs of complacency makes his task considerably tougher than it was last season.
As United prepare to face Manchester City later on Sunday, fans and pundits alike will be watching closely to see whether Carrick’s side can adapt to the increased workload, whether the midfield reinforcements can deliver the consistency required, and whether the defensive frailties can be shored up before the Champions League campaign truly begins. The outcome will not only set the tone for the remainder of the domestic season but also provide an early indicator of United’s capacity to compete on multiple fronts after a £1 billion rebuild.