Carrick’s New Era Begins as Manchester United Face Hull
Manchester United open their Premier League season at Hull City on Saturday lunchtime, with Michael Carrick stepping into his first full campaign as permanent manager and expectation already cranked up.
Third place last season and a return to the Champions League after three years out have changed the mood around Old Trafford. Progress is no longer enough. Carrick is now judged on whether he can turn promise into trophies. A trip to newly promoted Hull looks, on paper, like the perfect stage to set the tone.
But his squad is already carrying scars before a ball is kicked.
Injuries bite early
Matthijs de Ligt is still sidelined by a lower back problem, a lingering issue that removes one of United’s marquee defensive leaders from the opening weekend. Manuel Ugarte’s knee injury is even more damaging in the long term, with the midfielder expected to miss much of the season. Tom Heaton is also unavailable.
Mason Mount added to the concerns in pre-season, suffering a foot injury in the 1–1 draw with PSG. He faces a late fitness test and remains a doubt for the trip, another question mark in a squad that has already had to shuffle its options.
Benjamin Seško has at least rejoined full training after a shin complaint, but his involvement is still in the balance. His readiness – or lack of it – could reshape United’s attacking plan on the opening day.
A rebuilt midfield takes centre stage
If there is a symbol of Carrick’s United, it sits in the middle of the pitch.
Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos are both in line to make their competitive debuts in a retooled central midfield. The pair represent a clear shift: more control, more craft, more responsibility on the ball.
Santos, a £50m signing from Chelsea, has done everything asked of him in pre-season. He featured in all six friendlies and looked increasingly comfortable dictating tempo, the kind of presence Carrick once provided as a player.
Tielemans arrived later after helping Belgium reach the World Cup quarter-finals, but he banked 90 minutes in the final warm-up game against AC Milan. That outing should be enough to push him straight into the starting XI.
If Carrick wants his side to dominate games, this is where it starts.
Defence in transition
At the back, United are still juggling fitness and form.
Ayden Heaven is set to partner Harry Maguire in central defence. It is a bold call, but Lisandro Martínez managed only around 30 minutes of pre-season football and is not yet ready to anchor the line. He is expected to start on the bench, as is Kobbie Mainoo.
Diogo Dalot and Luke Shaw remain the first-choice full-backs and should provide the width and delivery Carrick leans on when his side build from deep. Their understanding with the new-look midfield will be under the microscope from the first whistle.
Behind them, Senne Lammens continues in goal. The Belgian’s distribution and calmness under pressure will be crucial if United insist on playing through Hull’s press.
Fernandes at the heart of an attacking reshuffle
Up front, Seško’s uncertain fitness has opened a door.
Bryan Mbeumo is expected to lead the line after an impressive pre-season. His movement and work rate offer a different profile to a traditional centre-forward, dragging defenders out of position and freeing space for runners from deep.
Out wide, Amad Diallo and Matheus Cunha are likely to flank Bruno Fernandes, who remains the heartbeat of this team in his familiar number ten role. Diallo’s sharpness between the lines and Cunha’s direct running give United variety in attack, with Fernandes stitching it all together.
If the front four click quickly, Hull’s first afternoon back in the top flight could be a long one.
Predicted XI and match details
Carrick is expected to set United up in a 4-2-3-1:
Manchester United predicted XI: Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Heaven, Shaw; Tielemans, Santos; Diallo, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo.
Kick-off at the MKM Stadium is at 12:30 BST on Saturday, 22 August 2026. The game will be shown live in the UK on TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate and HBO Max.
A newly promoted side at home, a heavyweight visitor with something to prove, and a manager beginning his first full season in charge. For Carrick and United, this is more than an opener. It is an early verdict on where this project is really heading.
