Manchester United’s recruitment strategy has been clear, deliberate and, on the surface, more sensible than the expensive improvisation that defined much of the club’s recent past.
The problem is, however, that football matches do not wait for long-term plans to be completed.
United strengthened their attack in the summer of 2025, signing Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko and Bryan Mbeumo.
This time around, their attention turned to midfield, with Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba arriving as part of another significant rebuild.
Defence, it appears, was the department being left until 2027.
Yet after Sunday’s thrilling 2-2 draw with Everton, that decision is already beginning to look costly.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ stunning 96th-minute equaliser for Everton on Sunday meant United conceded twice for a third successive match, following similar defensive displays against Hull City and Ipswich Town.
Goals are going in two by two. The most damaging aspect of the 2-2 draw at the Hill Dickinson Stadium was that Michael Carrick’s side twice appeared to have done enough to win.
Mbeumo continued his encouraging start by opening the scoring shortly after half-time. After Tyrique George equalised, Sesko came off the bench and headed United back in front.
Manchester United players look dejected after their draw with Everton on Sunday
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Ainsley Maitland-Niles scored at the death to earn Everton a draw against Man Utd
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Those are the moments United invested heavily to produce. Mbeumo and Sesko did their jobs, turning possession and pressure into goals away from home.
Yet the advantage was surrendered right at the death.
Maitland-Niles was given the time and space to collect the ball outside the penalty area before curling an excellent finish beyond Senne Lammens.
The quality of the strike should be acknowledged, but so should United’s failure to prevent it.
That sequence exposed the risk behind rebuilding a squad department by department. The attack may be refreshed and the midfield substantially altered, but an unreliable defence can still undermine everything happening in front of it.
Manchester United went with the same back four as 2022 in their draw with Everton on Sunday
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United ended the Everton game with a familiar back four of Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw.
It was the same defensive unit that started the infamous 4-0 defeat at Brentford four years earlier.
That afternoon in August 2022 was supposed to represent rock bottom. United were overwhelmed, exposed physically and punished for repeated individual and collective errors. Erik ten Hag learnt plenty about his side that day.
Four years later, despite hundreds of millions of pounds being spent and several different rebuilds being attempted, Carrick can still find himself relying on exactly the same combination.
All four defenders have enjoyed good periods at United.
Maguire recovered impressively from the loss of the captaincy, Martinez has offered aggression and personality, Shaw remains capable of providing balance when fit and Dalot has shown useful versatility.
The issue is, however, that United are still depending on the group as a collective when the evidence suggests a more substantial defensive evolution was required.
There is logic behind United’s new transfer approach.
The club are trying to become more disciplined, avoiding the panic-driven deals and inflated contracts that repeatedly created further problems before 2025.
Recruitment has been prioritised according to perceived need, with one section of the team addressed each summer.
Michael Carrick will be frustrated after Man Utd’s failure to beat Everton
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That may be financially responsible, but supporters will understandably question whether it has become a false economy.
Every point lost because of the defence makes United’s broader ambitions harder to achieve. Missing out on Champions League qualification would cost far more than accelerating the purchase of a centre-back or full-back.
Could United have explored a move for Ezri Konsa, even if the England international preferred to remain in London? Could they have attempted to bring in Lewis Hall and added youth, pace and greater security on the left?
Neither deal would necessarily have been straightforward. Still, the waters would have been worth testing.
Carrick now has far greater quality further forward.
Mbeumo is scoring, Sesko has demonstrated his penalty-area threat and the rebuilt midfield should eventually give United more control.
However, control must extend to the final minutes of matches.
United have now failed to win away from home this season and were seconds away from changing that at Everton.
Instead, another defensive lapse turned three points into one and transformed a potentially important victory into a devastating draw.
This is a team that fans still envisage competing for Premier League and Champions League glory. The reality is, until the defence is bolstered and altered, those titles will remain elusive at Old Trafford.
