Michael Carrick knows he might struggle to win a place in Man Utd's side

But the former England star is banking on United going the distance on four fronts to make sure he remains heavily involved this season.

The 36-year-old, who signed a new 12-month deal earlier this summer and was made club captain, said: “We’ve got a great squad. It’s a long season and hopefully we can go far in the cup competitions.

“There will be a lot of games, just like last year and there is going to be a lot of rotation of the squad.”

Carrick admits he will still relish the responsibility of being captain even if he is used sparingly by Jose Mourinho.

He added: “It’s a big honour for me. It’s very special to be in the position I am. It’s a tremendous feeling to lead the team out.

“You’ve got to try to lead in certain ways, but I’m just trying to be myself.

“You can’t suddenly change because you’re put in a different role. You’ve just got to be yourself and respect all the lads, like I do.”