Carrick faces defining Old Trafford month as fit-again Baleba readied to rescue United midfield

Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick is bracing for a make-or-break October after a wretched start to the 2026/27 Premier League campaign, with the club's supporters and board increasingly restless and the debut of £65m summer signing Carlos Baleba now within sight.

As the Premier League resumes this weekend, attention swings back to the red half of Manchester. City may have dominated the headlines during the international break, but United's predicament means Carrick could be one poor result away from a full-blown inquest into whether he is the right man to steer the club forward.

A brutal run of fixtures awaits

That is why the next week — and the whole of October — feels enormous for United. A home clash against a winless Tottenham side on Saturday is followed by away trips to Atletico Madrid, Leeds United and Como, before the month closes with fixtures against Bournemouth and Chelsea.

On the flip side, it is an opportunity for Carrick and his players to kick-start the season. The head coach has pointed to a series of unfortunate events contributing to the slow start, but empathy will be in short supply as this next phase begins. Carrick has been reluctant to confront his team's underperformance in media duties, but he will hope the international break has done his squad a world of good.

Attack options return — but questions linger

The positive is that several players have had time to address form, fitness and confidence. Matheus Cunha is a prime example: the Brazilian has looked slightly off the pace this term, perhaps partly through operating through the middle rather than his preferred left flank, but with no Brazil call-up he has had a chance to reset.

The better news for Cunha is that, with Amad Diallo now fit, Carrick can finally reshuffle an attack that has failed to look threatening despite some eye-catching offensive numbers. Amad's return on the right allows Bryan Mbeumo to shift centrally, while Cunha could contest the left-sided role with Marcus Rashford, fitness permitting.

Carrick has been limited in attack partly because of Benjamin Sesko's intermittent availability, but he now has the options to alter his side's complexion if he wishes.

Injury concerns persist

Friday's news conference with Carrick will be fascinating — not only for his reflections on Manchester City's situation as a former player, but for the team news ahead of Saturday's Spurs encounter. Carrick rarely gives much away, but with so many doubts, just how many options will he have?

Noussair Mazraoui and Patrick Dorgu both withdrew from international duty through injury, while question marks remain over Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo after they pulled out of England squads, alongside Sesko with Slovenia. However, United will welcome players back: Amad is one, and Matthijs de Ligt is closing in on full fitness.

Baleba ready to make his mark

Perhaps most significant is the pending debut of summer signing Carlos Baleba. The £65m arrival is now fit after suffering an ankle injury for Brighton in pre-season and has used the international break to acclimatise to life at Carrington. Baleba is understood to have settled in well with staff and players, completing his first broadcast duties as a United player earlier this week alongside Amad — a sign the midfielder is ready to feature as soon as Carrick deems him so.

The context of Baleba's arrival could have been very different had United started more positively; perhaps he would have been eased in. But after a return of five points from five games, his importance has only grown. The axis of Youri Tielemans and Mainoo has shown promise in certain games — particularly at home when United are comfortable on the ball — but the consistency is not there yet.

Baleba will offer qualities not replaced since the summer departure of Casemiro. Beyond physicality, he can shield a defence that has leaked goals, especially in transition. And going forward, his range of passing and ability to drive through midfield — qualities United have largely lacked in that area for years, perhaps since Paul Pogba — could be transformative.

"It is too early to say Baleba can be transformative for this team, but for what Carrick and his side need, especially with the games to come, he could prove to be United's most important signing of the summer," the report concludes.