Carrick Overhauls United's Routine: A Post-Match Day Off Policy
6 February 2026
Carrick Overhauls United's Training Routine
Michael Carrick has implemented a radical and noticeable overhaul of Manchester United's weekly training schedule, signaling a philosophy that differs markedly from what Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim pursued during their spells with the club.
Under the new system, United players now enjoy a full day off the day after matches, a clear break from the routine that defined the Ten Hag and Amorim eras, according to The Sun.
Previously, Ten Hag and Amorim insisted players report to Carrington on the day after games, with those who played long enough granted partial rest while those who did not play 45 minutes faced a full training session.
Carrick, by contrast, has decided to give all players a day off the day after matches, with recovery and rest arrangements organized on the day players return to the club's Carrington training complex.
He quickly asserted his leadership by shortening the number of training days while increasing the intensity and focus of sessions, aligning with demands of high performance.
In recent weeks there has been greater emphasis on individual work with several players, with former defenders Jonathan Woodgate and Jonny Evans overseeing the development of the center-back pair, focusing on technical and tactical details.
A Notable Change in Match-Day Routine
Players arrive at Old Trafford later than before, whereas under Ten Hag they typically arrived up to four hours before kick-off.
Ten Hag was the first United boss to attach great importance to rest days, a trend followed by Amorim, especially given the relatively few midweek games this season.
Although Tuesday used to be a near-daily rest day in recent times, players trained on Tuesday this week, signaling greater scheduling flexibility under Carrick.
Compared with Moyes, Van Gaal and Mourinho eras
In contrast, the previous managers Moyes and Louis van Gaal retained the right to summon players for training on rest days, especially if results were positive.
Jose Mourinho, meanwhile, was known for insisting on rest days for United players, regardless of the previous match result.
Under the new system, players will get a day off on Sunday after their upcoming showdown with Tottenham Hotspur, which takes place Saturday at Old Trafford, as United aim for a fourth consecutive win under Carrick. Sniper joke: If rest days were goals, Carrick just scored a hat-trick. Sniper joke 2: Scheduling this tight? He found a loophole—one day off is a day on for recovery.
