Man Utd
Manchester United’s left-back picture after deadline day
United missed on a left back, leaving Luke Shaw as the clear starter with several makeshift cover options.
Manchester United ended the summer window without adding a new left back, leaving that area of the squad unresolved until at least January. It was not the only priority addressed, but it remains the position that carried the most obvious unanswered question at the close of the market.
The club moved to strengthen midfield, with Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba arriving as part of the rebuild. In goal, Altay Bayındır was replaced by Karl Darlow as the second-choice option. United also judged that the successful reintegration of Marcus Rashford removed the need to bring in another winger, while a back-up striker to Benjamin Šeško was considered but never treated as essential. Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Rashford can all play as a centre forward if required.
Left back, however, was treated differently. Reports indicated that United were still assessing options on the afternoon of Deadline Day, only hours before the window closed. That urgency made sense given the lack of direct competition and cover for Luke Shaw. Shaw produced an outstanding 2026/27 campaign last season, playing all 38 Premier League matches and all but two of United’s games in all competitions, a sharp contrast to the previous two league seasons combined.
The problem is that the workload is set to rise. United face at least eight more matches in the Champions League, with the possibility of more if domestic cup runs extend.
Lewis Hall was the preferred long-term target. According to The Athletic, CEO Omar Berrada contacted Newcastle counterpart David Hopkinson in mid-August to enquire and “directly address the matter.” Hopkinson made clear that Hall was not for sale and United appear to have accepted that position.
United also passed on Jorge Salinas, while checks on Alejandro Balde and interest in Ian Maatsen did not lead anywhere. Deadline Day’s most unexpected name was Rayan Aït-Nouri, but United were unwilling to accept the loan terms with an obligation to buy.
For now, Shaw is the clear starter. Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot offer cover on the left, Patrick Dorgu has drifted further forward under Ruben Amorim, and Ayden Heaven, Lisandro Martínez and Carlos Baleba remain emergency alternatives.
Everton
Tielemans Explains Penalty Run-Up After United Win
Tielemans has explained his penalty run-up, linking it to timing his movement into the box.
Youri Tielemans’s unusual penalty routine became one of the talking points from Manchester United’s 5-2 win over Ipswich Town, but the midfielder has now clarified why he does it.
Much of the attention from that match centred on Bruno Fernandes’s hat-trick, Kobbie Mainoo’s display and even the hole in Old Trafford’s roof. Yet Tielemans’s ghost-like approach to penalty moments drew its own share of debate after Sunday’s victory.
Asked about the copycat run-up by Manchester United’s in-house social media team, Tielemans gave a simple explanation: “It’s to time my run into the box.”
The reasoning is practical. Team-mates who enter the penalty area too early can commit an offence if they rush in before the ball is struck and have a clear effect on the outcome. With Fernandes using a small hop in his penalty technique, Tielemans said he preferred to be certain about his timing rather than risk being caught out.
In the end, Fernandes scored, which meant the precaution was not needed. Even so, Tielemans was first to reach him and celebrated with a tight embrace.
It was not the first time Tielemans has used this method. He also did so during his spell at Aston Villa, including an FA Cup quarterfinal against Preston North End in March 2025, when he was in effect shadowing the steps of Marcus Rashford, now one of his Manchester United team-mates.
There is also the possibility that the idea was shaped by Austin MacPhee, Villa’s set-piece specialist at the time. The details coach handled dead balls under Unai Emery before later being poached by Chelsea over the summer.
Tielemans has already faced questions about adapting to Michael Carrick’s demands this season. “It might be different than what I am used to, but it is logical things in my opinion. It is just smelling football,” he said. He later started his United career with a poor performance.
After a difficult outing against Hull City on the opening Saturday, he looked more settled alongside Kobbie Mainoo against Ipswich Town, though the match remained finely balanced for much of the first hour. United now turn to Everton on Sunday, with Tielemans and Mainoo expected to operate behind Fernandes again, although Mason Mount’s return from injury leaves that selection open.
Everton
Mount Return Gives Carrick Midfield Selection Headache at Manchester United
Mount is back in training, but Carrick still has several options to weigh up in midfield.
Michael Carrick has been given a fresh midfield dilemma after confirming that Mason Mount is back in training and available for selection against Everton on Sunday. The Manchester United manager described the development as “great” after Mount resumed work with the squad.
“Mason’s been training now for good number of days, so he’s back around it which is great,” Carrick said to MUTV.
Mount’s recovery arrives at a time when Carrick has been rotating through his midfield options while searching for the most effective pairing behind Bruno Fernandes. In Mount’s absence, Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Kobbie Mainoo have all been used as Carrick looks to settle on a first-choice combination.
There is still no certainty that Mount will return straight into the starting side. The midfielder has struggled with injuries and has started only 25 Premier League matches across four years at Old Trafford. Even so, Carrick has spoken highly of him, calling Mount “a top player” who “can have a big impact.”
His return also comes alongside strong praise for Mainoo. After last weekend’s victory over Ipswich Town, Carrick described the young midfielder as “immense”, with Mainoo now expected to be a regular starter this season following a summer in which he was left on the fringes of England’s World Cup campaign.
That leaves one place beside Mainoo up for grabs in the double pivot, and Mount must compete not only with Santos and Tielemans, but also with Carlos Baleba. United’s most expensive signing of the summer brings a different profile to the role, with Carrick able to call on a player more comfortable in the defensive side of the game.
Baleba, though, is not ready to solve the issue immediately. The 22-year-old is expected to need another couple of weeks before recovering from an ankle knock he picked up while playing for Brighton against Manchester United. He is still racing to be fit before the first international break of the season, and may not be ready to start until after the extended club pause.
Man Utd
Carrick backs Šeško to find form after quiet start
Carrick expects Benjamin Šeško to improve after a slow start, with United still backing their No. 9.
Michael Carrick is expecting Benjamin Šeško’s output to rise, despite the striker’s subdued opening to the 2026/27 campaign. Manchester United did not add a new forward in the summer window, and the long-term plan remains for the 23-year-old to lead the line, provided he stays fit.
Speaking to reporters on Friday as United prepare to meet Everton on Sunday, Carrick stressed that the striker’s conditioning is still progressing. “Ben is improving his fitness all the time, he has had some time off, which was important. Moving forward, no setbacks and giving us and him the chance to stay fit for as long as possible,” he said.
Šeško’s start has drawn attention because it has been slower than expected for last season’s joint top scorer. Yet this is not a new pattern. He also began the previous campaign quietly, scoring only twice in his first 11 Premier League appearances before finding rhythm after Christmas. His next nine league goals arrived across a 14-match spell between Jan. 7 and May 3.
That late-season surge is why Carrick believes patience is justified. “He made big strides last season, he is still young and adapting and developing, there is loads more to come,” he said, following reports that some United players wanted another centre forward signed in the summer to ease the burden.
Šeško’s career numbers suggest he is still building toward his ceiling. His best Bundesliga return was 14 goals in 2023/24, when he was 20. But at United, the challenge is also shaped by the club’s recent history. There has not been a truly consistent No. 9 for some time, with the last striker to pass 15 Premier League goals in a season being Cristiano Ronaldo in 2021/22.
United made four first-team signings in the window, along with several academy additions. Midfield was the main focus, while Carrick still believes the squad is in a “good place” and stronger than when the window opened.
