Manchester United have entered the first international break of the season at arguably the perfect time.
The Red Devils have won just two of their seven games across all competitions in the 2026-27 campaign.
Their next fixture will not take place until October 10, when they face Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford after a three-week break.
We believe head coach Michael Carrick will welcome the pause, with two major issues giving him plenty to work on before United return to action.
Injury concerns keep mounting
Matthijs de Ligt suffered a back injury in 2025 and is still working towards a return to competitive action.
The defender is edging closer to a comeback, but the coaching staff are expected to take every precaution following his surgery in May.
Amad Diallo looked lively in pre-season but suffered a knock just before the opening game of the season.
Carrick also revealed that Marcus Rashford was forced off against Fulham after picking up an issue.
The club are reportedly managing a hip problem that Rashford sustained during the FIFA World Cup.
Rashford is not the only concern, with Kobbie Mainoo also having withdrawn from the England squad for the upcoming international break due to fitness concerns.
Benjamin Sesko missed the Fulham clash after experiencing pain in his shin, having already missed the entire pre-season because of the same problem.
The recurrence of Sesko’s injury will be a major concern for Carrick, particularly given the lack of depth in his attacking options.
Must find their lost spark again
Despite facing a favourable run of fixtures, the Red Devils have struggled to develop any real chemistry in midfield or attack.
Their defensive structure has also looked vulnerable at times, with even some of the more experienced players failing to maintain their positional discipline.
Carrick and his coaching staff must use the break to return to the tactics board, dissect their recent performances and identify solutions from within the squad.
United enjoyed a remarkable run during the first part of the year, and Carrick will now need to rediscover that spark if he wants to avoid further scrutiny over his future.
The Red Devils face a demanding schedule of six games next month, making this pause crucial for Carrick to reassess his decisions and training methods.
Stats from Fotmob.com