Michael Carrick has admitted Manchester United face a significant step up if they are to challenge for the Premier League title this season, but the manager insists he would never say it is impossible for the club to reclaim the crown.
United have not won the league since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013 and have failed to sustain a serious title challenge in any of the 13 seasons since.
There was, however, a marked improvement after Carrick returned to Old Trafford in January last season. United collected 39 points from the 17 Premier League games he oversaw, which was more than any other team during that period.
Carrick knows United will need to reproduce that level of consistency across an entire 38-game campaign if they are to challenge defending champions Arsenal.
“It is going to be a jump,” Carrick said ahead of Saturday’s season opener against newly promoted Hull City.
“Whatever I say, it doesn’t really matter, whether I say we can or can’t, and I would never say we can’t, by the way: I don’t believe that. It is about what we can do, what we are capable of doing, and what we believe we can do as a group.
“The run of form we had last season gives us confidence, but we know there is a whole new step to make as a group. We are pushing to do that. We know we have the potential to achieve things, and we have got to believe we are a good team and can do good things.”
United’s opening two league games are against promoted clubs, with Carrick’s side travelling to Hull on Saturday before hosting Ipswich Town at Old Trafford next week.
However, Carrick rejected the suggestion that United have been handed a favourable start to the season.
“There are no favourable starts,” he said. “It is a tough start. A newly-promoted team away from home will be a tough game. It is not favourable; it is an easy thing to throw out there, but pretty ridiculous.”
CARRICK PRAISES RASHFORD AFTER RETURN
Marcus Rashford could make his first appearance for Manchester United since December 2024 when they travel to Hull.
The England forward returned to the club after spending the last 18 months on loan at Aston Villa and Barcelona. While his long-term future at Old Trafford remains a major talking point, Carrick has been impressed by Rashford since he rejoined the squad.
“It has been pretty obvious since Marcus came back to training with Kobbie (Mainoo) and Licha (Martinez) in Dublin that he’s come back fantastically well,” Carrick said.
“He’s enjoying his football, he looks fit, he looks sharp, he looks strong, and he looks ready to play. So I’ve been delighted with him.”
Rashford could also give Carrick greater flexibility in attack. The forward can operate both as a centre-forward and on the left wing, with the United manager confident in his versatility.
“He can play through the middle, and he has done before. We have forwards that give us that flexibility,” Carrick said.
Rashford’s return comes after spending much of the last year and a half away from United following a fallout with former manager Rben Amorim. The forward recently stated he wants to focus purely on his football without his “name being mentioned every day.”
UNITED WANT MORE SIGNINGS
United are continuing to work on strengthening their squad before the transfer window closes on September 1.
The club have already added Belgian midfielder Youri Tielemans and Brazil international Andrey Santos, while Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba remains firmly on their radar.
United have reportedly submitted a £60 million bid for Baleba after failing to sign the Cameroon international last year.
Carrick confirmed the club are still looking to add reinforcement before the deadline.
“We’re looking to strengthen the squad. We’re certainly working towards that, making the most of our situation, and trying to move forward,” he said.
“We are trying to make the most of the opportunities to finish the window stronger than we went into it. I think we’re a good way towards doing that, so far.”
MOUNT FACES LATE FITNESS TEST
Mason Mount faces a late fitness test ahead of the trip to Hull after missing United’s final two pre-season friendlies.
“Mason will be back soon,” Carrick said. “He has picked up a bit of a knock, but there are no dramas.”
Meanwhile, Matthijs de Ligt has returned to first-team training after recovering from a back injury that has sidelined him throughout 2026. However, the defender will not be involved against Hull.
United begin the new Premier League season with renewed optimism following their strong finish under Carrick. Yet the manager remains fully aware that challenging Arsenal over a full campaign will demand another significant step forward from his team.
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