Carrick is about to feel the impact of United’s qualification for the Champions League.
Last season, United had two midweek games in the second half of the season. They drew at West Ham and lost at Newcastle. They then had 13 and 11-day gaps to their next fixture respectively.
Not now.
Starting with their trip to Everton, United have five games in 16 days before the first international break of the campaign.
If Carrick’s side progress in the EFL Cup, they won’t have a spare midweek until Christmas.
Rotation is inevitable in United’s new-look midfield this season – but what will that look like?
In assessing the signings that have been made, Carrick speaks about balance.
Brazil midfielder Casemiro left at the end of his contract while Uruguyan Manuel Ugarte – likely to leave anyway had he not suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury during the World Cup – is out until next year.
That left Mainoo, Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount as United’s only senior central midfielders going into the summer transfer window, with the latter pair better suited to more advanced roles.
After missing out on Elliott Anderson and Mateus Fernandes, United moved quickly to sign Brazilian Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £48m. A day later, Belgium’s 29-year-old Youri Tielemans joined from Aston Villa for £35m.
Santos, 22, dovetailed well with Mount during the early pre-season games, sitting deep and screening the back four.
Mount played in the number eight role and seemed to be a viable option to stay there into the new campaign until an ill-timed injury at the beginning of August provided a reminder of his unhappy record of absences.
Tielemans’ pre-season appearances seemed to be based around developing an understanding with skipper Fernandes.
“Andrey, for such a young man, to come in the way has, with his character and his personality is a dream,” Carrick explained when he spoke to reporters during his side’s training camp in County Kildare.
“He’s so positive, so mature, so switched on; he wants to learn. He comes in and straight away he’s trying to help other players, talk in games and communicate. He’s got a real substance to him.
“Youri’s a little bit more obvious, probably because we’ve seen an awful lot of him and we all know him, but again, the character, the personality, the presence, and the quality on top.
“The two midfielders in particular, will give us an awful lot moving forward.”