Michael Carrick addresses preparation challenges ahead of Old Trafford derby

Michael Carrick is heading into the biggest fixture on Manchester’s calendar with a complaint that managers have been lodging since the invention of midweek European football: the schedule isn’t fair. The Manchester United head coach pointed out that his squad will have two fewer days to prepare for the Old Trafford derby on September 13 compared to their crosstown rivals, Manchester City. The scheduling math The imbalance comes down to Champions League fixtures. City dispatched Porto on September 8, giving Pep Guardiola’s side a full five days of recovery and preparation before the derby’s 4:30 PM BST kickoff. United, by contrast, don’t play their Champions League opener against Sabah FK until September 10, leaving Carrick with just three days to recover, regroup, and devise a plan to beat the neighbors. The fixture against Sabah FK, an Azerbaijani side, represents United’s entry into this season’s Champions League campaign. Carrick acknowledged the disadvantage but stopped short of using it as a preemptive excuse. He expressed confidence that his players can adapt to the compressed timeline. Context for both sides United enter the derby in a position that could generously be desc...