Michael Carrick’s arrival in January marked a turning point for Manchester United, guiding the club from a seventh‑place finish to third and securing a spot back in the Champions League. Yet the upcoming Manchester derby, scheduled just three days after a dominant 4-0 victory over Sabah, will be the first real gauge of how United will cope with a considerably busier calendar this season. The central questions are whether the squad possesses the depth to handle the added fixtures and whether the ongoing rebuild has overlooked a crucial component of the 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 featured in only 40 competitive matches across all tournaments. This was the joint‑fewest games played by any Premier League side and the lowest total for United since the 1913‑14 season.
The sparse schedule allowed Carrick to keep his first‑choice players fresh while rivals were forced to rotate more frequently. In fact, between Carrick’s appointment and the end of the league campaign, only five 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 games, meaning United could end up contesting as many as 67 matches across all competitions. Carrick has spoken positively about the increased workload, 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 now accustomed to the rigors of European football, which should ease the transition. Nevertheless, the return to continental competition remains a stern test.
In the 2024‑25 season, United’s attempt to juggle league and European duties resulted in a disappointing 15th‑place finish. This time around, the club appears better equipped financially. Over the summer transfer window United spent a modest £163 million on new arrivals, but the total outlay since 2022 exceeds £1 billion, giving them the highest net spend among Premier League clubs over that period—£769.5 million after sales. However, the spending pattern reveals a striking imbalance.
The recent window was almost entirely midfield‑focused, with the signings of Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans forming the headline acquisitions. By contrast, a year earlier United’s budget was directed toward the attacking line, bringing in Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.
Defensive reinforcements have been comparatively neglected. Only 19 percent of the £1 billion invested since 2022 has been allocated to defenders, placing United third‑lowest among Premier League clubs for defensive spending—behind only Liverpool and Everton—and far below the 42 percent devoted to forwards. The consequence is a squad that, while stronger in certain areas, still lacks depth and quality elsewhere. 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 in terms of market value.
Even within the forward line, 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. Moreover, the side still lacks a genuine creative alternative to Bruno Fernandes, leaving a noticeable void in playmaking responsibilities. Another striking observation is the limited turnover in the playing staff despite the massive financial outlay. The back four that started the 2‑2 draw with Everton—Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martínez, Harry Maguire and Diogo Dalot—remains unchanged from Erik ten Hag’s first match in May 2022.
Marcus Rashford’s return to the left of Fernandes means six of the starting eleven are the same as they were two seasons ago, suggesting a degree of stagnation despite the club’s spending spree. United’s retention rate of 54.5 percent from the start of the 2022/23 season to the present is the highest in the league, with Arsenal trailing at 36.4 percent (having kept Gabriel, Ben White, Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka). Continuity can be beneficial, but the comparison highlights a key difference: Arsenal’s retained players have been instrumental in their title‑winning campaign, whereas many of United’s long‑standing starters are better remembered for underperforming. For Carrick, the looming challenge is that his backup options—particularly in defence—do not inspire confidence.
The lack of quality depth means injuries or fatigue could expose vulnerabilities, making the task of navigating a congested schedule considerably tougher than last season. In summary, Manchester United’s £1 billion rebuilding project has delivered noticeable improvements, especially in midfield, but the uneven allocation of funds has left the defensive line thin and the squad lacking true depth. As the season intensifies with Champions League fixtures and a packed domestic calendar, Carrick will need to rely on tactical flexibility, effective rotation, and perhaps further mid‑season signings to bridge the gaps.
The upcoming derby against Manchester City will serve as an early indicator of how well United can adapt to these demands and whether the club’s massive investment will finally translate into sustained success on all fronts.