Manchester United's frustrating 0-0 draw against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, March 9, may not have shaken their third-place standing in the Premier League table, but it exposed some serious cracks in the squad. With just two games left in the season, the Red Devils are already looking ahead—and the message from club legend Wayne Rooney is clear: they need to sort out Michael Carrick's future, and fast.

Caretaker manager Carrick rang the changes with five alterations to his starting XI, but the result was a lackluster performance that lacked the spark United fans have come to expect. The absence of key first-team regulars was painfully obvious, and it's a worrying sign for a club that has already secured Champions League football for next season. After a campaign without European competition and early exits from domestic cups, United are on track to play just 40 games this season—their fewest since the 1914/15 campaign. That's a far cry from the grueling schedules of their rivals, and it's a wake-up call for the depth they'll need to compete on multiple fronts next year.

The midfield is a particular area of concern. With Casemiro set to leave as a free agent this summer, finding a replacement is urgent. Mason Mount was handed a chance in a traditional midfield role against Sunderland but failed to impress, underscoring the need for a capable successor to the Brazilian. Meanwhile, Manuel Ugarte's underwhelming season suggests he could also be on his way out, leaving United potentially hunting for more than one midfielder before the new season kicks off.

But the issues don't stop there. A new left-back might be on the shopping list, with Luke Shaw now on the wrong side of 30. Up front, Joshua Zirkzee's disappointing run continued in his first start under Carrick against Sunderland, hinting that INEOS may need to consider further attacking reinforcements. And looming over all of this is the question of who will be at the helm permanently. Carrick, under contract until the end of the season, has done a solid job steadying the ship, but United have yet to make a decision on the manager's role. Rooney has weighed in, explaining how this uncertainty could derail their summer plans—and for a club looking to rebuild, every moment counts.