Read our 2026/27 season preview for Manchester United after their impressive third-place finish under Michael Carrick last season.
The Red Devils flailed around under Ruben Amorim, leading to the Portuguese's dismissal halfway through the season. The appointment of Carrick -- initially on a temporary basis -- worked wonders, with the side cruising to UEFA Champions League qualification and Carrick being given the job on a permanent basis.
Key question
How will Manchester United adapt to the UEFA Champions League?
As seen in the second half of last season, Manchester United’s best XI has enough to test the best teams in England and therefore presumably Europe. The only major departure sees Casemiro leave but the club should have been looking to improve in midfield whether the Brazilian was there or not.
The next step is how they handle a much busier fixture list. United played just 40 games last season, the fewest possible for a team in the top four divisions, and were able to manage their squad to a third-place finish.
United are guaranteed eight UEFA Champions League games and can hope for at least four more and should have a deeper run in the cup competitions than they had last season.
Michael Carrick has the talent in his squad; does he know how to utilise it?
Key transfer
Andrey Santos
While Manchester United need more reinforcements across the park, the midfield was the biggest problem area with the departure of Casemiro and the long-term injury to Manuel Ugarte.
While Kobbie Mainoo is a superb carrier of the ball, the Red Devils were missing too many profiles in midfield. In Youri Tielemans, they've signed the passer they sorely needed, but Andrey Santos looks like the one to make the difference. The Brazilian will bring much needed physicality to the side, with the former Chelsea man able to screen the defence while being comfortable in possession.
There will likely be rotation from Michael Carrick this season as United juggle European football, but Santos looks set to be a key part of the side.
Breakout star
Benjamin Sesko
It was clear Manchester United needed a striker in the last summer transfer window and for a long time it looked like they were playing second fiddle to the bigger clubs. Once Arsenal settled on Viktor Gyokeres, United were free to take a run at Benjamin Sesko.
Signing for around £65m, the Slovenian showcased the talents that brought him to the Premier League: blistering pace, aerial threat and outstanding ball striking. Unfortunately, these were only shown in fits and starts and fitness issues prevented him getting a run in the side towards the back end of the season.
Sesko scored a respectable 11 Premier League goals in his maiden campaign, but it’s time for the 23-year-old to show he can be United’s starting centre forward for years to come.
What is a good season?
Securing UEFA Champions League football
Football fans tend to view things in 12-month cycles. Every summer is about building something for that season, but Manchester United need to take a longer-term view.
Like Liverpool and Arsenal before them, they want to win a Premier League title but that can’t happen this season. It could happen in three years if all their pieces line up, and that’s what this season needs to be.
United are in the process of building a squad that can serve them well in coming years, undoing more than a decade of poor transfer choices.
As far as the next 12 months goes, United need to secure the financial rewards that come from staying in the UEFA Champions League and start building a squad that can be optimistic of a title challenge.
Bold prediction
To miss out on UEFA Champions League qualification
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Ellis Statham
Four of the nine Premier League teams playing in Europe finished in the bottom half of the top-flight standings in the 2025/26 term, and while Manchester United's drop-off is unlikely to be quite this significant, they look ill-equipped to match the demands of UEFA Champions League football.
They’ll play a minimum of eight games more next campaign, and while their starting XI is nearing completion, they do lack depth in some areas and have had to sacrifice adding cover in some positions to bolster their ranks in others.
This wasn’t as much of an issue when the Red Devils were playing just one game a week last term, but managing a squad that could be playing up to three games a week at the top level is something that Michael Carrick hasn’t had to do before.
It’s worth noting that the competition for the UEFA Champions League places is going to be greater. Tottenham and Chelsea are expected to be back up there after respectively dismal seasons, while the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool could yet improve.
The 2026/27 campaign could prove a case of other UEFA Champions League competitors improving as opposed to United drastically declining, but it could still leave Carrick's side fall short.
Will they be better than last season?
No.
Manchester United will be much better than the first half of last season, which was so bad Ruben Amorim was sacked with no obvious contender lined up to replace him, but improving on the 39 points from 17 games under Carrick – the most of anyone in the Premier League in that time – is a very tall order.
With UEFA Champions League football thrown into the mix, consolidating on the last six months represents a good season for the Red Devils.
