In the manu match today Manchester United travelled to face Sunderland with Michael Carrick warning it could be only his third-last game in the dugout as the club runs down the season.
Carrick sent out a side missing three first-team stars — Casemiro, Benjamin Sesko and Manuel Ugarte — and handed Joshua Zirkzee a start in Sesko’s usual position; it was Zirkzee’s first start in any competition since December. Mason Mount was recalled in midfield to cover the absences.
The absences were not sudden surprises. Carrick said Sesko had been carrying a shin complaint and suffered another heavy knock last week that forced him off against Liverpool. He described Casemiro’s omission as nothing major and said the midfielder should be fit for next week’s home match against Nottingham Forest. Carrick added that Ugarte had been hit by a back problem in midweek but treated the list of issues as largely ironed out.
Those gaps gave the game a sharper immediate significance. Manchester United had already secured Champions League qualification before the trip to Sunderland, which turned a routine late-season away fixture into a test of depth and of Carrick’s ability to steady the squad while key men recovered. Carrick said he had a strong team available and looked forward to seeing the players finish the season on a high.
The selection choices underline the balance Carrick is trying to strike. With three matches left in the campaign and a Champions League place already secured, the manager’s rotations leaned toward managing fitness rather than chasing points. Zirkzee’s inclusion — his first start since December — and Mount’s return to midfield were direct consequences of those absences.
There is a tension between short-term maintenance and the longer decision the club faces. Matthijs de Ligt’s absence from today’s squad was expected; he has not played for Manchester United since November. That gap, paired with the temporary losses of Casemiro, Sesko and Ugarte, exposes how thin the squad is in places and how much the remaining fixtures will be used to evaluate players and the caretaker boss.
Carrick’s comment that the Sunderland trip could be his third-last outing in charge sharpened the stakes. How he manages recovery, minutes and form across the final three matches will be watched as much for on-field results as for signals about whether the club will convert his temporary post into a permanent appointment.
For now the facts are simple and constraining: Sesko was hooked early in last week’s win over Liverpool after crashing into the advertising hoardings and taking a knock; Casemiro did not travel and Carrick expects him to be fine next week; Ugarte missed the match after a midweek back problem; Zirkzee filled the forward role and Mount was brought back into midfield. Those are the variables Carrick must work with as he asks his squad to perform and to finish the season strong.
The clearest conclusion is that Carrick’s handling of this run-in will be decisive. With Champions League qualification secure, the remaining fixtures are less about points and more about answers — fitness checks, form, and whether the caretaker can steady the team across the last three matches and make a case to be kept in the dugout beyond them.
