Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Manchester United’s pre-season tour under Michael Carrick has provided a key takeaway for Red Devils supporters ahead of the 2026-27 Premier League campaign.
The Red Devils have chalked up two wins and one defeat in their pre-season campaign ahead of their final three matches of the summer tour.
Following Manchester United’s 1-0 setback against Wrexham, the Red Devils rallied back against Norwegian club Rosenborg and La Liga side Atletico Madrid.
Michael Carrick oversaw the Red Devils’ 5-0 demolition of Rosenborg before Man Utd produced a superb comeback against Atletico Madrid to win 2-1 on Saturday.
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Head Coach Michael Carrick of Manchester United in action during a first team training session at Carrington Training Ground on July 20, 2026 in Manchester, England.
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Andrey Santos and Mason Mount split
Andrey Santos and Mason Mount split
The Atletico Madrid match was the first real taste of facing a Champions League side during a permanent Michael Carrick reign
Ahead of the summer tour, Michael Carrick’s interim reign in the 2025-26 campaign had been restricted to Premier League fixtures ahead of his permanent appointment.
Manchester United were without European football last season and the Red Devils had been knocked out of the League Cup and FA Cup by the time Carrick arrived.
Carrick secured United’s return to Europe for the 2026-27 campaign and the Red Devils will now compete in the Champions League under the 45-year-old.
Atletico Madrid were not at full strength against the Red Devils at the weekend — it is pre-season after all — but the result should not be played down either.
In a permanent Carrick reign at Old Trafford, it was the first sign for United fans to see us against Champions League-level opposition ahead of the new season.
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Michael Carrick’s experience, both as a player and coach/manager, will be important for Man Utd’s 2026-27 Champions League run
Carrick has been all too familiar with playing in the Champions League after lifting the trophy under Sir Alex Ferguson’s legendary Man Utd reign at Old Trafford.
The United manager has also been familiar with the expectations of being in the dugout on the big nights after being in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s coaching staff.
Carrick has only ever seen one Champions League match as a manager, which came as Man Utd caretaker boss in the 2-0 win over Spanish side Villarreal in 2021.
There is plenty of scepticism about Man Utd’s upcoming season under Carrick due to the increased fixtures for the Red Devils because of the Champions League.
However, United’s encounter with Atletico Madrid at the Strawberry Arena should be the sign of optimism for the Red Devils’ return to Champions League football.