Michael Carrick has dismissed suggestions that Manchester United have an easy start to the Premier League season, calling the idea "ridiculous" ahead of Saturday's trip to newly promoted Hull City. United host fellow promoted side Ipswich Town the following week.
"I think, first of all, for all of us who know this league, there's no favourable start," Carrick said. "I think it's a tough start, both teams, but not getting past Saturday. I think a newly promoted team away from home is a tough, tough game. I've been involved in them in the past so I'm fully aware of what's at stake, what's coming at us on Saturday, what we've got to be ready for, so it's not favourable. I think it's an easy thing to throw out there, but it's pretty ridiculous and we're certainly not taking it that way at all."
United signed the midfielders Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos and the goalkeeper Karl Darlow this summer, but no first-team arrival has followed since mid-July. They are also in talks with Brighton over a move for the midfielder Carlos Baleba, with the fee understood to be below £75m, and a left back is still needed. "I just think we're looking to strengthen the squad," Carrick said. "We're certainly working towards that and making the most of the situation that we have, and trying to improve things and trying to move forward. Certainly trying to make most of the opportunities to finish the window stronger than we went into it, and I think we're in a good way to doing that so far."
Tielemans and Santos could make their debuts at Hull, where former Hull goalkeeper Darlow is set to feature after a medical procedure. Benjamin Sesko and Matthijs de Ligt are back in training after long-term injuries, while Mason Mount, who missed the final two friendlies, remains a doubt. "He's very close so it's touch and go for the weekend, really, if not going into next week," Carrick said of Mount.