Manchester United have appointed Michael Carrick as their permanent head coach, strengthened their squad with new signings, and set out to end a two-year trophy drought.
There is optimism that the club is heading in the right direction, but with Champions League football returning, United must strike the right balance across a demanding campaign if they are to remain in contention at the business end of the season.
It has been 13 years since Sir Alex Ferguson last led them to the Premier League title and few expect that wait to end in May.
While United finished third last season, they were still 14 points behind champions Arsenal.
At no point were they in the title race. In fact, it was doubtful they would even finish in the top five after an underwhelming start. It was only once Ruben Amorim was replaced as head coach in January that United started to find consistent form.
Some of the underlying numbers suggest United might be able to sustain results from last season.
No team averaged more shots per game in the Premier League in 2025-26, with United also ranked fourth for expected goals, behind Arsenal, Chelsea and City.
Only Arsenal and City scored more league goals than Manchester United. The Old Trafford outfit revamped their forward line, signing Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko — who combined for an impressive 32 goals in the Premier League.
This summer, United have focused on midfield, which was in desperate need of strengthening after the exit of Casemiro. The serious injury suffered by Manuel Ugarte playing for Uruguay at the World Cup did not help matters, leaving Carrick short of another squad member.
Andrey Santos arrived from Chelsea to give Manchester United an all-round midfield presence, while Youri Tielemans’ signing from Aston Villa has improved Carrick’s side as a ball-playing team. Among all midfielders and attackers in the Premier League last season, Tielemans (18.3) led the way for the most defensive lines broken per 100 passes.
United could still use another figure to bulk up their midfield unit, although Mason Mount’s performances in pre-season suggest he could be part of the solution. United’s Champions League qualification will place extra demands on Carrick and his players and additional depth will be required.
As we consider just how far the squad can push on, it is important to remember why they were able to end the last Premier League season strongly.
Last term, United played just 40 matches in all competitions — the fewest number they could have played, due to early exits from both domestic cup competitions. This was a factor in how Carrick was able to reshape the team, with a lot of time on the training pitch. That will not be the case this season.
A return to the Champions League bulks up the schedule, with United priced at 16/1 to win the competition.
It is certainly a long shot, and rightly so. Having made the knockout rounds of the Champions League just once in the last seven seasons, it is unlikely Carrick’s team will make it far enough to disrupt the best teams in Europe. Making it beyond the league phase should be the target.
The Premier League is also going to be a test. At 7/1, United are fourth favourites behind Arsenal (6/4), Manchester City (11/4) and Liverpool (11/2) to win the 2026/27 title, suggesting it will be another year, at least, before Carrick’s side can realistically target a first championship since the end of the Ferguson era.
Domestic cup glory might be a more realistic aim.
Just as in the Premier League, Manchester United are fourth favourites to win the FA Cup (15/2) and Carabao Cup (8/1) behind Arsenal, City and Liverpool.
However, they are a decent bet to reach the semi-finals or final and could prove better suited to one-off knockout ties than sustaining winning form over a long campaign.
History backs up this point. In the post-Ferguson age, Manchester United have been a cup team, winning the FA Cup and League Cup twice.
This bodes well for a team that boasted a strong record against the best teams in the Premier League last season. United lost just two of their 10 games against Big Six opponents.
Carrick’s Manchester United remain a work-in-progress. Defensive issues were a problem last season and were masked only by the eye-catching form of Senne Lammens, who prevented 4.4 goals over the course of the season. Only Manchester City’s Gianluigi Donnarumma (5.8) prevented more.
There is a question mark over the midfield unit and how Santos and Tielemans will settle into their new environment. Likewise, the lack of depth in the forward areas could be a problem, even if Marcus Rashford is reintegrated after returning from a loan spell at Barcelona. Carrick’s options could be stretched in a number of positions.
Last season’s third-place finish has given Manchester United a platform to build on. And for all their recent troubles, the Old Trafford outfit has still won two major trophies in the last four seasons — so could be a contender to get their hands on more silverware again in 2027.
