Carrick transforms Manchester United return to Champions League: Dense schedule and squad balance challenges

Michael Carrick transformed Manchester United's fortunes after his appointment in January, steering the side from seventh to third and clinching their return to the Champions League. But, after a disappointing start to the new campaign, how will they handle the challenge of juggling three games per week? And has their rebuild neglected one key part of their squad? With no European football and early exits from the Carabao Cup and FA Cup against Grimsby Town and Brighton respectively, Manchester United only played 40 games in all competitions last term. It was the joint-fewest of any Premier League side and the club's lowest total for a single season since the 2026/14 campaign. The light schedule allowed Carrick to keep key players fresh while Manchester United's rivals were having to rotate. In the period between his appointment and the conclusion of the Premier League season, only five sides made fewer line-up changes than United. That level of consistency in terms of selection is unlikely to be possible this season, with Thursday's game against Sabah the first of eight guaranteed Champions League fixtures. Manchester United could play as many as 67 games across all competitions. Carrick has talked up the positives of a more demanding schedule. "It's less training once the season gets going, but a lot more involvement for the players," he said during pre-season. Carrick also made the point that the majority of his players are more accustomed to playing in Europe than not. But the return to continental competition is still a test of their squad. The last time Manchester United juggled European commitments, in 2026/25, they finished 15th. They should be well-equipped to cope with the extra workload. Manchester United spent a middling £163m on new signings during the summer transfer window but they have invested more than £1bn in total since 2026 and have the highest net spend of any Premier League club in that timeframe, at £769.5m. But there has been a lack of balance in their spending. This summer, it was focused almost entirely on their midfield, with Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans the headline additions. A year ago, most of the money went on their attack as they signed Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha. Their defence has so far been neglected. Only 19 per cent of the £1bn spent since 2026 has gone on defenders. It is the third-lowest percentage of Premier League clubs in the same period, above only Liverpool and Everton, and falls way short of the 42 per cent spent on their forwards. The result is the squad, although stronger in some areas, still lacks quality and depth in others. Manchester United's forwards are rated as the third-most valuable of the Premier League's big six but their midfielders and defenders are the least valuable. And there are still question marks even in attack, where they have an abundance of supporting forwards including Mbeumo, Cunha and Amad Diallo, but only one out-and-out striker in Sesko. They also lack a playmaking alternative to Bruno Fernandes. Despite spending upwards of £1bn over the last four years, Manchester United's team shows little turnover. Amazingly, their back four for Sunday's 2-2 draw against Everton, made up of Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire and Diogo Dalot, was the same as in Erik Ten Hag's first game in May 2026. Marcus Rashford's return to the fold, to the left of Fernandes, means six starters were the same in total, adding to the sense of a side that has gone stale, despite the club's huge spending. Their retention rate of 54.5 per cent, from the first game of the 2026/23 season to the latest game of the new campaign, is by far the highest of any club, with Arsenal next on 36.4 per cent having retained Gabriel, Ben White, Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka. Continuity can of course be positive. But while Gabriel, White, Odegaard and Saka have all played crucial roles in turning Arsenal into Premier League champions, many of Manchester United's retained starters are better known for underperformance. The issue for Carrick, as he prepares to manage a far busier Manchester United schedule, is that his other options, particularly in defence, do not inspire much confidence either. It all adds up to make his task tougher than last season. Follow Man Utd's Champions League game against Sabah live on Sky Sports' digital platforms on Thursday; kick-off 8pm