Michael Carrick’s arrival at Manchester United in January marked a turning point for the club, as he guided the team from a seventh‑place standing to a third‑place finish, securing a return to the Champions League. The recent 4-0 victory over Sabah seemed to cement the progress, but the upcoming Manchester derby on Sunday, just three days later, will serve as the first real gauge of how United will cope with a significantly busier calendar this season.
The key questions are whether the squad possesses the depth to handle the increased workload and whether the ongoing rebuild has overlooked a critical component of a balanced team. Last season, United’s fixture list was unusually light.
Without any European commitments and after 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 played by any Premier League side and represented the lowest total for United since the 1913‑14 season. The reduced schedule 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 Premier League campaign, only five other clubs made fewer changes to their starting line‑ups than United. Such consistency is unlikely to be replicated this year. The upcoming clash with Sabah kicks off a stretch that includes at least eight guaranteed Champions League fixtures, and the total number of matches could climb to as many as 67 across all competitions.
Carrick has spoken positively about the challenges of a more demanding program, noting that while training sessions may become less frequent as the season progresses, player involvement will increase dramatically. He also highlighted that the majority of his squad are now accustomed to the rigors of European football, a factor that should help them adapt. Nevertheless, the return to continental competition will be a stern test of the squad’s quality and depth. The last time United juggled a full European schedule, in the 2024‑25 season, they finished a disappointing 15th in the league.
The club now hopes to avoid a repeat of that scenario. Financially, United have been active.
The summer transfer window saw the club spend a modest £163 million on new arrivals, but the cumulative outlay since 2022 exceeds £1 billion, giving United the highest net spend of any Premier League side over that period – a staggering £769.5 million net investment. However, the spending pattern has been uneven. This summer’s acquisitions were heavily weighted toward the midfield, with the signings of Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans forming the headline deals.
By contrast, a year earlier the bulk of the money was directed at the attacking line, bringing in Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha. Defensive reinforcement has been noticeably absent.
Only about 19 percent of the total £1 billion outlay since 2022 has been allocated to defenders – the third‑lowest proportion among Premier League clubs, surpassed only by Liverpool and Everton. This stands in stark contrast to the 42 percent spent on forward players. The consequence is a squad that, while stronger in certain areas, still lacks depth and quality in others. United’s forwards rank as the third‑most valuable among the league’s traditional big six, yet their midfielders and defenders are valued the lowest.
Even within the attack, uncertainties remain. While United boast a wealth of supporting forwards such as Mbeumo, Cunha and Amad Diallo, they rely on a single out‑and‑out striker in Benjamin Sesko.
Moreover, the team still lacks a genuine playmaking alternative to Bruno Fernandes, leaving a creative void should Fernandes be unavailable or out of form. Despite the massive financial commitment, United’s squad turnover has been surprisingly low.
Astonishingly, the back four that started the 2‑2 draw with Everton – Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martínez, Harry Maguire and Diogo Dalot – is identical to the line‑up from Erik ten Hag’s first match in May 2022. Marcus Rashford’s return to the left of Fernandes means that six of the starting eleven have remained unchanged, suggesting a side that may be becoming stale despite the heavy spending.
The club’s retention rate – 54.5 percent from the first game of the 2022‑23 season to the latest fixture of the current campaign – is the highest of any Premier League club, with Arsenal trailing at 36.4 percent (having retained Gabriel, Ben White, Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka). While continuity can be beneficial, the comparison highlights a stark difference: Arsenal’s retained players have been pivotal in their title‑winning campaign, 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 congested schedule with a squad that, on paper, appears unbalanced. The defensive options, in particular, do not inspire confidence, and the lack of a true second playmaker could expose the team if injuries or fatigue set in.
All these factors combine to make the upcoming derby a litmus test for Carrick’s managerial acumen and the club’s strategic planning. In summary, Manchester United’s £1 billion rebuild has delivered notable improvements, especially in the midfield, but the uneven allocation of resources has left the defence and creative depth wanting. As the season progresses, the true test will be whether the club can sustain its performance across domestic and European fronts without compromising on quality. The upcoming matches, beginning with the high‑stakes Manchester derby, will reveal whether United can translate their financial muscle into consistent on‑field success, or if further strategic adjustments will be required to achieve the lofty ambitions set by the club’s hierarchy.