Michael Carrick has brushed aside fears of a setback for Mason Mount after Manchester United’s preseason draw with Paris Saint-Germain, insisting the change was made purely as a precaution.

“He got kicked,” the manager said. “We just wanted to be careful and look after him. We’ve been lucky with injuries so far [during preseason], so we wanted to be careful.”

That suggests there is no serious issue for Mount, who has already carried an unwanted injury record since arriving from Chelsea three years ago. He has missed an estimated 70 matches out of a possible 152, and could be back in contention quickly when United meet Leeds United in Dublin, Ireland on Wednesday.

Mount had been one of the more notable figures in preseason before the PSG game, often operating deeper than in previous seasons. That role has been viewed as one possible answer to United’s wider recruitment problem, with three weeks still left in the transfer window and several positions still needing attention.

Yet the deeper issue is not Mount alone. United’s midfield was short on depth last season, and since then Casemiro has left while Manuel Ugarte has suffered a long-term injury. Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans have arrived with promise, but the balance is still one of two out and two in.

If Carrick begins the 2026/27 Premier League season with Santos, Tielemans, Mount and Kobbie Mainoo as his senior central midfield options, even one injury in that group could leave the squad exposed. Bruno Fernandes can play as a No. 8, as he did last season under Ruben Amorim, but that also moved him away from the No. 10 role where his assist numbers improved sharply.

Tyler Fletcher has featured often enough this summer to suggest he is viewed more as cover than a regular starter. Santos said after the final whistle in Gothenburg that he “prefers” to play as a No. 6, while Tielemans looks best placed to start most often and Mainoo remains an intriguing option once he reports back after his post-World Cup rest this week.

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has said Marcus Rashford will be back with the squad this week as pre-season work continues.

Rashford’s future remains unresolved, but Carrick made clear that the forward is due to return to training with the rest of the group, alongside other returning players. United’s schedule takes them to Dublin, where the manager expects to have everyone together for a short spell.

“I’ve played with him. I played in the game he made his debut, so we have a history,” Carrick reflected after Saturday’s 1–1 draw with Paris Saint-Germain .

“We have got a full squad this week in Dublin. We fly straight there and have a few days where we have the whole group back together.

“Marcus is part of that, and Kobbie [Mainoo] and Lisandro [Martínez]. We look forward to seeing them.”

The situation around Rashford has generated uncertainty, especially after he dropped out of favour under former boss Ruben Amorim for poor training levels. Even so, his ability remains clear. A return of 14 goals and 14 assists for Barcelona last season is evidence he still operates at a high level.

There will be questions around whether his salary matches his output, but those finances are unlikely to shape Carrick’s thinking. His priority is to get Rashford performing again at Old Trafford.

That need is particularly relevant on the left side of the attack. Matheus Cunha, a natural striker, and fullback Patrick Dorgu have both been used there under Carrick. Both have done well enough, yet the chance to restore a natural winger to that role is one the new manager is likely to welcome.

The Premier League remains a ruthless place for managers, and the 2026/27 season begins with that reality clearer than ever. A summer of upheaval has left dugouts across the division occupied by a fresh wave of appointments, while one club is still waiting to name a new head coach.

At the top of the list, Mikel Arteta stands alone as the league’s longest-serving manager. Appointed by Arsenal on Dec. 22, 2019, he has outlasted every other current rival and remains comfortably ahead of the pack. Behind him comes Unai Emery, who has been in charge of Aston Villa since Nov. 1, 2022, followed by Daniel Farke, who took over Leeds United on July 4, 2023.

Further down the rankings, the turnover becomes even more obvious. Régis Le Bris and Fabian Hürzeler both arrived in July 2024, while Frank Lampard, David Moyes, Sergej Jakirović, Keith Andrews and Michael Carrick all joined their clubs during 2024 and 2025. The list then tightens further still, with a cluster of appointments made only months before the new campaign.

There are notable cases throughout. Roberto De Zerbi, hired by Tottenham Hotspur on March 31, 2026, sits just outside the top 10. Michael Carrick is inside it after first being named interim Manchester United boss in January and then permanently hired in May. At the other extreme, Álvaro Arbeloa is the latest arrival, taking charge of Fulham on July 7 after an unsuccessful spell as Real Madrid boss.

A number of other clubs have also changed course recently, including Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Nottingham Forest, Ipswich Town, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth. Over half the division has turned to new managers in 2026 if Newcastle United are included, with the club still yet to appoint Eddie Howe’s successor.

For now, Arteta remains the benchmark for staying power in a league that rarely gives managers much time.