Manchester United struggle without Casemiro as Carrick eyes midfield additions in 2026

Manchester United failed to secure victory at Sunderland without Casemiro, exposing midfield depth issues ahead of summer recruitment.

Carrick confirms Casemiro availability Manchester United manager Michael Carrick stated after the Premier League draw at Sunderland that Casemiro would be fit and ready for the upcoming home match against Nottingham Forest. This gives supporters the chance to honor the Brazilian midfielder’s contributions during his four seasons at Old Trafford. Notably, United have lost every one of their four league games without the 34-year-old in the starting lineup this season. ## Sunderland match exposes United’s struggles United were outplayed by Regis le Bris’ Sunderland side, failing to secure all three points despite winning the previous three encounters. The Black Cats manager expressed frustration at his team’s inability to capitalize on their dominance. With Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte both unavailable, Carrick faced a tough decision regarding his midfield setup for the match. ## Midfield options without Casemiro Carrick considered two main options to replace Casemiro: dropping Kobbie Mainoo into a defensive midfield role and positioning Bruno Fernandes or Mason Mount in a more advanced position, or giving Tyler Fletcher his first senior start while keeping Mainoo in his preferred advanced role. The choice ultimately fell on Mainoo and Fernandes, particularly as Fernandes remains one assist away from matching Thierry Henry and Kevin de Bruyne’s record of 20 assists in a single Premier League campaign. ## United’s performance falls short United managed just one shot on target in the entire match, with Matheus Cunha’s effort in stoppage time being saved by Sunderland’s goalkeeper Robin Roefs. Sunderland dominated possession, created more shots, and had a higher expected goals (xG) metric. Le Bris described his team as having ‘more control’ throughout the game. ## Squad depth questioned after changes Carrick made five changes for the Sunderland game, highlighting broader concerns about the quality and depth of United’s squad. Strengthening the midfield has been identified as a key priority for the upcoming transfer window. Potential targets include Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes, and Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, all of whom bring Premier League experience. ## Le Bris praises midfield veterans Le Bris compared Casemiro to his own midfielder Granit Xhaka, emphasizing the value of experienced players. ‘It is hard to quantify but they are so important,’ he said. ‘On one side they have experience so they can manage the momentum and flow of the game even if it's really emotional. But they are also great players. The level is important because of the way they manage the ball under pressure and the way they defend with their team-mates. Casemiro on one side and Granit on the other are not the most physical players in the league, in duels and so on, but they manage team-mates and the flow of the squad, and for that they are so important.’ ## United may need multiple signings The need for midfield reinforcement is underscored by the fact that no single player currently fits Casemiro’s role. Ugarte’s potential departure could further complicate matters, suggesting United might require two or even three additions to address their lack of versatility in selection. This reflects the broader challenge of replacing a player of Casemiro’s caliber and experience. ## Carrick rejects ‘on the beach’ criticism Carrick strongly disputed claims that United’s focus was lacking, particularly given their secure third-place finish in the league. ‘I almost get offended when people are accusing that because of the way the players have prepared for the game and the way they left the changing room,’ he stated. ‘If we weren’t in a good headspace and motivated, I think we lose the game today.’ ## Carrick urges patience after Sunderland draw While acknowledging the frustration of the result, Carrick cautioned against drawing sweeping conclusions from a single game. ‘Don’t think the whole assessment of the direction of where we need to go will be judged on one or two games,’ he said. He reiterated that United do not evaluate squad quality based on isolated performances. ‘I will certainly not over-analyse it in terms of moving forward next season, judging the squad and judging everything on one game,’ he added. ‘It’s not what we do as a club anyway. We know the quality of the players, the strengths and things that we need to improve on. One game today doesn’t change our minds on any of that. Over time you get a clear picture of what it looks like, some positives, some negatives. I need a bit more laid-in foundations to make decisions, than just one or two games.’