Since Michael Carrick took over the reins in January, Manchester United have undergone a dramatic turnaround, climbing from seventh place to third and securing a return to the Champions League. That resurgence, however, is about to be put to the ultimate test in the upcoming Manchester derby, just three days after United's emphatic 4-0 victory over Sabah. The fixture marks the first real indication of how the squad will cope with a significantly busier calendar this season, and it raises two critical questions: does United possess the depth required to handle the added workload, and has the club’s massive rebuilding effort overlooked a vital 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 competitive matches across all competitions. This was the joint‑fewest games played by any Premier League side and the lowest total the club has recorded in a single season since the 1913‑14 campaign.
The reduced schedule allowed Carrick to keep his core players fresh while rival clubs were forced to rotate heavily. In fact, between Carrick’s appointment and the end of the Premier League season, only five other clubs made fewer changes to their line‑ups than United. Such stability will be far harder to achieve this term. The upcoming clash with Sabah is the first of at least eight guaranteed Champions League fixtures, and United could end up contesting as many as 67 matches if they progress deep into domestic cups and the European competition.
Carrick has spoken positively about the challenges of a tighter schedule, noting that "there is less training once the season gets going, but a lot more involvement for the players". He also highlighted that most of his squad are now accustomed to the rigours of European football, a stark contrast to the previous season when United were absent from the continent. Nevertheless, the return to Europe remains a litmus test for the squad’s quality and depth.
The last time United juggled continental duties, in the 2024‑25 season, they finished a disappointing 15th in the league. This time around, the club has poured a staggering £163 million into new signings during the summer window, bringing the total investment since 2022 to over £1 billion.
United now boast the highest net spend of any Premier League side over that period, with a net outlay of £769.5 million. Despite the headline‑grabbing figures, the spending pattern reveals a glaring imbalance. The summer acquisitions were heavily weighted toward the midfield, with Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans arriving as marquee signings. A year earlier, the club’s outlay had focused on the attack, bringing in Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.
Defensive reinforcements, by contrast, have been scarce. Only 19 percent of the £1 billion spent since 2022 has been allocated to defenders – the third‑lowest proportion among Premier League clubs over the same span, surpassed only by Liverpool and Everton, and dramatically lower than the 42 percent devoted to forwards.
The consequence of this skewed investment is a squad that, while stronger in certain areas, still lacks depth and quality in others. United’s attacking 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 the valuation tables. Even within the forward department there are lingering doubts: the team boasts an array of supporting attackers such as Mbeumo, Cunha and Amad Diallo, but only one true striker, Benjamin Sesko. Moreover, the side still lacks a genuine creative alternative to Bruno Fernandes, leaving the midfield overly dependent on a single playmaker.
Another striking observation is the limited turnover in the playing staff despite the massive financial outlay. The back four that featured in United’s 2‑2 draw with Everton – Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire and Diogo Dalot – was identical to the lineup fielded in 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 since that early season, suggesting a degree of stagnation that belies the club’s spending spree. United’s retention rate of 54.5 percent from the opening game of the 2022‑23 campaign to the latest fixture this season is the highest in the league, with Arsenal trailing at 36.4 percent.
Continuity can be advantageous, but the context matters. Arsenal’s retained players – Gabriel, Ben White, Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka – have been instrumental in transforming the Gunners into champions. By contrast, many of United’s unchanged starters are more closely associated with under‑performance and inconsistency. This raises concerns for Carrick as he prepares to navigate a far more congested schedule.
The limited pool of reliable defensive options, in particular, offers little reassurance. In summary, Manchester United’s ambitious £1 billion rebuilding project faces its toughest test yet. The club has undeniably upgraded its attacking and midfield talent, but the neglect of defensive reinforcements and the lack of genuine squad rotation could prove costly as the season intensifies.
Carrick’s challenge will be to extract maximum performance from a core group that has shown promise, while also finding ways to inject fresh energy and depth into areas that have been historically weak. The upcoming Manchester derby will provide an early indicator of whether United can rise to the occasion or if the imbalance in their rebuild will hinder their quest for sustained success across all competitions.