Carrick hints at rotation before Sunderland

Michael Carrick used his pre-match briefing to make one thing plain, Manchester United can start managing minutes. They have already secured Champions League football and now target a top-three finish, while Carrick is set to speak at 1.30pm before the trip to Sunderland. He also said some fringe players may get a chance in the final three games, starting at the Stadium of Light.

United can afford to shuffle the side

The numbers back that message. Manchester United are third in the Premier League with 64 points from 35 games, and they have three league games left. That gives Carrick room to make changes without turning the run-in into a dead rubber.

His words were straightforward enough. "I think every player in the squad has been fantastic. Some have played more than others, it's been difficult, but the respect the players have shown each other is great to see and what we need," Carrick said. He added: "That's the challenge of training and not having as many games, a balance we've had to make the most of. Coming into these games, it's something we're aware of, and still trying to get good results as well."

That does not mean he will empty the bench. It does mean the final three fixtures can be used more intelligently, especially with the pressure of Champions League qualification already lifted.

Fernandes, Martinez and the team-news picture

The selection question is not only about rotation for its own sake. Bruno Fernandes needs two assists to break the Premier League assists record, so he remains the obvious player who could keep his place even if Carrick makes broader changes. That is the main tension in the XI now, because a record chase is rarely the first thing a manager wants to sacrifice.

There is also a useful boost at the back. Lisandro Martínez is available for selection after serving a three-match ban. Carrick's team-news picture is not completely clean, though, because Benjamin Šeško is a doubt after a shin problem forced him off at half-time against Liverpool. Matthews de Ligt has returned to individual training after a long-term absence since December, but the brief stops short of saying he is fully ready.

United's status relative to Liverpool is not settled yet, and the club still needs four points from Sunderland, Nottingham Forest and Brighton to do so. For this week, though, the more immediate question is how much Carrick rotates at Sunderland, and whether Fernandes is kept in the side for one more push at the assists record.