Carrick sums up Manchester United's summer ahead of the Premier League kickoff

According to Michael Carrick, Manchester United's summer friendlies were beneficial, as the team has become more cohesive and several players are in better condition ahead of the first Premier League match.

Manchester United officially completed their 2026 summer friendly series after six matches across various European countries. Despite ending with a 2-4 loss to AC Milan, head coach Michael Carrick still valued what the team gained throughout the preparation for the new season.

United started the summer with a narrow defeat to Wrexham, but quickly improved their form in subsequent games. The Red Devils defeated Rosenborg and Atletico Madrid, drew with reigning Champions League winners PSG, and then beat Leeds United on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

Therefore, the loss to Milan did not change Carrick's overall assessment of the team's preparation process.

“Overall, I think things went very well. There are plenty of positives we can take away. The performances were mostly good, and this group has matured and become much stronger”, Carrick shared with MUTV.

According to the English tactician, the most important aspect of the preseason is not just the results, but also the gradual return of different groups of players after a busy summer of international tournaments.

In the final match against Milan, Kobbie Mainoo, Lisandro Martinez, and Marcus Rashford all had their first minutes of the summer. Meanwhile, Bruno Fernandes, Senne Lammens, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, and Youri Tielemans played the full 90 minutes, allowing the coaching staff to continue building the team's fitness base.

Carrick admitted that United underperformed in the final match, but sees it as a necessary lesson before the official season begins.

“We didn't play well and need to learn from that. Some players had their first minutes, there are various reasons, but no excuses. We need to improve”, Carrick said.

After six friendlies, one of the most satisfying signs for Carrick is the level of competition within the squad. The return of many key players means the United manager will have to make several personnel decisions when the Premier League starts.

“We have a good squad, so there will be decisions to be made. We still have a week of training to continue refining”, Carrick emphasized.

The entire United squad will return to Carrington after Sunday's day off and have five more days of preparation before their away trip to Hull City in the Premier League opener.

After a summer of six matches, many personnel experiments, and players gradually returning to the lineup, Carrick believes United has largely achieved their preparation goals. The friendly results may not have been perfect, but what matters more for the Red Devils is that their squad is nearly complete and the competition for places has truly begun ahead of the new season's kickoff.