Michael Carrick says he is convinced his Manchester United squad has improved following their summer transfer business. United spent the summer window focusing on a midfield overhaul, securing the signings of Andrey Santos from Chelsea, Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa and Carlos Baleba from Brighton. Goalkeeper Karl Darlow also joined the club on a free transfer from Leeds.

The Red Devils' net spend across the transfer window finished at £118m, less than the likes of newly promoted Ipswich and Coventry and Gary Neville was adamant that United need to invest in their defence before the end of the window. However, despite failing to do so, Carrick is confident in the strength of his squad for the remainder of the season.

"I think we've brought some really good players into the football club, and improved the squad in different ways, individually but collectively," Carrick said during a charity golf day for his foundation. "I think we've grown. You go into the window and when you come out of it, you want to be stronger than you were at the start. I'm convinced we are that."

Carrick couldn't have asked for a worse start to the new season as his side were left humiliated by newly promoted Hull City on the opening weekend. However, after surviving an early scare, they responded with an emphatic 5-2 victory over Ipswich Town in their first home game of the campaign.