Manchester United have not got the opening to 2026-27 they would have wanted after last season’s strong finish, when Michael Carrick’s side collected 39 points from a possible 51 across their final 17 league matches. Instead, five points from five games have left them matching their lowest Premier League-era return at this stage of a campaign.

The early results have been uneven. Hull City struck twice from set pieces on opening day, Ipswich Town were beaten in a high-scoring game, Everton later rescued a point late on, Manchester City won through a refereeing and VAR error that has since been acknowledged, and Fulham exposed United during a slow opening 70 minutes. Even so, the underlying figures suggest the team are still reaching useful areas: no side has more touches in the opposition box than United’s 182, while they have allowed the fewest touches in their own box at 92.

That is why Carrick does not appear alarmed. The numbers point to adjustment rather than upheaval, although the results have yet to settle into consistency.

This is not the first time United have been here. Their previous five-point start came in 2014-15, when Louis van Gaal arrived after David Moyes’ brief spell ended and expectations rose around a new era. The club had reinforced heavily with Ander Herrera, Luke Shaw, Ángel Di María, Marcos Rojo, Daley Blind and Radamel Falcao, but the early weeks were slow. A home loss to Swansea City, away draws with Sunderland and Burnley, and a shock Carabao Cup exit to MK Dons set the tone.

United did recover. Di María inspired a first league win against Queens Park Rangers, before an extraordinary collapse against Leicester City ended in a 5-3 defeat after the team had led 3-1. Van Gaal’s side later pieced together two separate runs of six straight league wins and finished fourth, though they never properly threatened the title.

The broader record shows that a low total after five games is not always decisive. United have often recovered, even from modest starts, and only one perfect five-from-five return has been achieved across 35 Premier League seasons. The opening month matters, but it rarely tells the full story.

JJ Gabriel’s desire to leave Manchester United is being framed as more than a simple contract dispute. According to the report, the teenager and those around him believe the club is too far removed from the standard he wants to chase, with their view shaped by United’s long decline in stature over the past 13 years.

The Daily Mail says that drop-off is the “driving force” behind Gabriel’s stance. The player is understood to want to “learn from the best,” and that assessment appears central to why an immediate exit has become the direction of travel. Earlier reports had linked his frustration to limited first-team opportunities, but this latest version of events places United’s wider decline at the heart of the issue.

Gabriel has already built a reputation for dominating at every age level, including the U-21s, where he scored twice in two appearances against players five years older. That background has made his case even more notable, especially as recent examples elsewhere show that teenagers can be trusted early. Lamine Yamal made his breakthrough at Barcelona as a 15-year-old, while Max Dowman had already featured for Arsenal in the Champions League and Premier League before turning 16.

The report says United are seen as “far away” from five of Europe’s elite clubs that Gabriel would consider joining. Barcelona and Real Madrid are both said to have been strongly linked with the player, who turns 16 in October and can move across Europe through an Irish passport. Gabriel’s father, Joe O’Cearuill, is believed to have already met with both Spanish clubs, with the preference thought to be Madrid.

That said, the report also notes a potential complication. Real Madrid are currently led by José Mourinho, a coach known for valuing experienced professionals over unproven youngsters. Barcelona, meanwhile, are under Hansi Flick, who has two teenagers in his starting XI and regularly places trust in La Masia. Whether Gabriel would break through there remains an open question.

Manchester United’s summer business focused squarely on correcting the balance of the squad, with four first-team arrivals added after a year spent rebuilding the attack. The club also brought in veteran goalkeeper Karl Darlow on a free, taking total spending to $207.2 million (£155 million) across those three transfers.

The major priority was central midfield. That area had been left exposed last season, with Casemiro departing when his contract expired and Manuel Ugarte sidelined by a long-term injury. As a result, Michael Carrick now has four senior players for the two midfield roles, while Tyler Fletcher offers an academy option and Bruno Fernandes could also move deeper from No. 10.

United’s summer intake was not limited to the senior group. Tynan Thompson, Cristian Orozco and Kit Margetson were added for the U-21s, and the club hopes at least one of them can eventually push into the first team. Thompson appears the likeliest to do so this season. His move from Tottenham Hotspur has been compared with Ayden Heaven’s switch to Old Trafford from Arsenal in January 2025. Thompson also received ‘List A’ status for the Champions League league phase, which leaves the door open, although none of the three youngsters has yet been named in a senior matchday squad.

At this early stage, Carlos Baleba sits bottom of the ranking only because he has not yet played. The Cameroon international was recovering from an ankle injury when the $93.6 million (£70 million) deal was agreed, having missed Brighton’s entire preseason. His first weeks as a Manchester United player have been spent continuing that recovery. He was on the bench for the first time in the 1–1 draw with Fulham before the international break, and a debut is expected when the Premier League returns in October. United lack a defensive midfielder of his type, so he could rise quickly once he features.

Darlow has had the most limited role of all. The 35-year-old was brought in as experienced cover after Altay Bayındır moved on, with Senne Lammens established as the starting goalkeeper. So far, Darlow’s only appearance came in the Carabao Cup against Brighton, and further opportunities look unlikely unless Lammens is injured.