---
title: "Carrick starts shaping Manchester United side at Carrington"
canonical: "https://readmanutd.com/2026/07/12/carrick-starts-shaping-manchester-united-side-at-carrington/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "James Chettle"
section: "Man Utd News"
published: "2026-07-12T13:00:00Z"
modified: "2026-07-12T13:00:00Z"
---

# Carrick starts shaping Manchester United side at Carrington

**Michael Carrick’s Manchester United squad have continued their pre-season work after completing another demanding session at Carrington.**

The first group of United players reported back on Thursday before returning to the gym on Friday.

Carrick’s squad completed fitness testing on the opening day. They also trained on the grass for the first time ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

United’s latest images showed the players continuing their physical work as Carrick and his staff assessed the early returnees.

The group remains without 13 players who have been involved at the World Cup. Those players will return in stages after receiving time to recover from their international commitments.

![](https://media.readmanutd.com/readmanutd/2026/07/media_113095318_112704325-819x1024.webp)

## Carrick begins building United’s foundations

The staggered return gives several senior and academy players an early opportunity to impress Carrick.

United’s head coach can use the opening sessions to assess fitness levels and begin introducing his tactical demands. The reduced group should also give younger players more direct involvement with the first-team staff.

ReadManUtd previously examined how [Carrick’s pre-season changes could shape standards at United](https://readmanutd.com/2026/07/01/carrick-rule-reset-manchester-united-pre-season-culture-test/).

The [official Manchester United training update](https://www.manutd.com/en/news/latest-gym-photos-the-work-continues-friday-10-july-2026) confirmed the squad built on the fitness work completed during Thursday’s opening session.

United’s first friendly is against Wrexham on 18 July. A mixture of senior and academy players is expected to be involved.

Carrick therefore has a short window to establish his early priorities before the wider squad returns and preparations gather pace.