Manchester United’s squad depth is under intense scrutiny as Michael Carrick prepares to rotate his team for Thursday’s Champions League meeting with Sabah before facing Manchester City in the derby three days later.
The pressure has grown after United surrendered a lead to draw 2-2 at Everton, leaving them with more points dropped than won halfway through a Premier League opening sequence that was rated the easiest in the division on paper.
Gary Neville warned after the Everton result that the arrival of European football, followed by the Manchester derby, would quickly test Carrick’s position and the strength of the squad supporting his preferred starting XI.
United’s return to the Champions League on Thursday will be their first appearance in the competition for three seasons. UEFA has confirmed that Sabah, the Azerbaijani champions, will make their debut in the league phase at Old Trafford.
Manchester United’s squad depth faces its first major test
Although United have one of the Premier League’s largest squads by number, the distribution of their resources remains a concern. Their options are strongest in attack, but they rank only eighth for midfield depth and 10th in defence.
The weaknesses become more pronounced in specialist positions. United are rated ninth for right-back cover and 18th for left-back depth, an area made more vulnerable by Luke Shaw’s recurring fitness problems.
The imbalance is particularly striking given the club’s spending. United have recorded the league’s highest net spend since 2022, yet have still failed to build convincing competition for places across the team.
Carrick’s substitutions at Everton offered an indication of the problem. Once the changes were made, United spent more time in the opposition half but became less effective in the final third, created fewer chances and were involved in fewer duels.
That invited greater pressure from Everton and exposed the gap between United’s established starters and those expected to provide cover. The circumstances of the match must be considered, with Everton chasing an equaliser, but the pattern has also been visible in earlier games, including the meeting with Hull.
Benjamin Sesko has provided a notable exception, offering an impact from the bench, but one influential substitute cannot compensate for a squad lacking reliable alternatives in several other areas.
Leny Yoro, Patrick Dorgu, Andrey Santos and Joshua Zirkzee are among those likely to view the Sabah fixture as an important opportunity to force their way into Carrick’s plans.
With the derby against City following on Sunday, Carrick may have little choice but to rest several regulars in Europe. The players brought in will therefore be judged not only on the result against Sabah, but on whether they can preserve the structure and intensity of the first-choice side.
Neville has said Carrick must earn the trust of United’s supporters. The same challenge now applies to the squad players competing for his confidence, with a convincing Champions League start capable of easing the pressure before the season’s demands increase further.
