Michael Carrick's main message from the trip to Dublin is not the result against Paris Saint-Germain. It is that Manchester United have a fuller squad back together, with Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo and Lisandro Martinez all back in camp.
“We have got a full squad this week in Dublin,” Carrick said. “We fly straight there and have a few days where we have the whole group back together. Marcus is part of that, and Kobbie and Lisandro. We look forward to seeing them.”
Carrick's squad update
Rashford has not played a competitive match since December 2024, so this is about reintegration rather than an instant return to match sharpness. Carrick also pointed to his history with the winger, saying: “I've played with him. I played in the game he made his debut, so we have a history.”
Mainoo's return matters for a different reason. He was in the England squad but played zero minutes at the World Cup, and getting him back into a full training group gives United more to work with before the season starts.
Martinez is back in the picture too. He already has 7 appearances, 651 minutes, 1 goal and 1 assist in 2026, so this is not a fresh injury story around him, just another useful piece back in the mix.
Matheus Cunha and Senne Lammens missed the 1-1 draw against Paris Saint-Germain in Gothenburg because of minor non-related illnesses, while Matthijs de Ligt is continuing his recovery from back surgery earlier this year. Benjamin Šeško and Karl Darlow are on track to be available for the start of the new campaign after missing every pre-season fixture so far.
United's next step
The key point is the timing. United's next listed Premier League match is away to Hull City on 22 August 2026, so the Dublin camp gives Carrick a few days with a more complete group before the season proper.
That is the version of this update that feels most useful. The PSG draw can sit in the background; the more relevant development is that United are finally getting bodies back in one place before the campaign begins.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
