Michael Carrick is set to take over his second term as Manchester United manager, serving as caretaker manager until the end of the season, but his spell at Middlesbrough will provide hints about his style.
Michael Carrick will manage Manchester United until the end of the season (Image: PA)
Michael Carrick has been appointed as Manchester United’s new interim manager, taking charge until the end of the season on an interim basis, just seven months after being sacked by Middlesbrough.
His career at Old Trafford has been a positive influence on him. The midfielder was part of the Premier League and Champions League winners and went on to serve as an assistant under several different managers before going unbeaten during a three-game interim spell in charge.
Carrick’s return to the dugout would see United return to a more traditional style that would suit more players at Old Trafford. For over a year now, Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-3 formation has been the talk of the town.
Its uniqueness and complexity required players to adapt to new positions and operate in ways they had never experienced before in their careers. That’s all about to change under Carrick, who laid down the stalls when he was manager at the Riverside Stadium.
He made a big impact initially, taking Boro from the bottom of the table to the play-offs. In the process, he strengthened the career of Morgan Rodgers, currently at Aston Villa, and helped propel Chuba Akpom to the Championship’s best player status, earning him a move to Ajax.
read more: Darren Fletcher turns down first-team role at Michael Carrick’s Manchester Unitedread more: “I watched Michael Carrick closely at Middlesbrough – this is what Man United can expect.”
Similar to dugout changes, certain players win and others lose. And some players, such as Bruno Fernandes and full-backs, may see their roles change due to the change in the system.
Formation and attack concept
Carrick has adopted a 4-2-3-1 formation, which should allow United’s backline to adopt positions they are far more accustomed to. This means that they will ultimately be without two centre-halves, instead of Amorim, who has previously played with three. Lisandro Martinez, Lenny Yolo, Harry Maguire, Aiden Haven and Matthijs de Ligt will all be in contention if they are fit.
Bruno Fernandes could be ready to return to a more attack-oriented position (Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
At Middlesbrough, Carrick was a particularly effective left-back in Ryan Giles. He was given a lot of license to move forward and the team adopted a back three, pushing the right-back in when attacking.
Manchester is uncertain whether he will try it. Their most attack-minded full-back is probably Patrick Dorg, who Amorim signed as a wing-back. If Carrick wants to get the most out of his full-backs, Dorg may be the one given the license, but the likes of Diogo Dalot and Luke Shaw have proven effective going forward.
One of Carrick’s biggest success stories has been Akpom, who scored 29 goals in all competitions in 2022/23 despite showing little sign of becoming prolific. He operated as the team’s number 10 and often timed his runs effectively.
Tuba Akpom was one of Michael Carrick’s biggest success stories as a director (Image: PA)
Bruno Fernandes may be the biggest winner here. He has had to adapt to a traditional central midfield role under Amorim, which is hampering his development going forward. However, the addition of Carrick could allow him to return as a playmaker. With a wide range of options in Matheus Cunha, Brian Mbeumo, Mason Mount and Amad, the Portuguese star will be well connected and has previously shown he can score regularly.
Will defensive issues remain?
One of the issues Carrick will have to deal with, which was cited as an issue during his tenure at Middlesbrough, is that the team was weak defensively. Championship managers commented that they felt Boro could bat on the break and have success, suggesting they could bat in transition.
Unfortunately for Carrick, he won’t arrive in Manchester to find a ball-winning midfielder who can break up the play. Amorim’s desire to add someone to the position is well-documented, with Brighton’s reported interest in Carlos Baleva in the summer.
Coby Mainu hopes to play more games under Carrick (Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Coby Mainu, Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte all have question marks, but all the options are there. Spending many hours on the bench under manager Amorim Mainu has seen his United career rekindled and, despite his age, he has the qualities to be elite in his position one day.
Coach Carrick has already said of the academy graduate: “To have that kind of talent, as he’s already shown, you have to say, ‘Yeah, he gets it, he knows it. Let’s help him, build on him, stick with him. I definitely think there’s a place for him.’
The former United star will be surrounded by great brain trust. Former England assistant Steve Holland is set to be his number two. Carrick’s most impressive achievements came shortly after he was hired by Middlesbrough, and United will be hoping for the same.
Manchester United’s projected line-up: Lamence, Dorg, Martinez, Maguire, Dalot. Mainu, Casemiro. Cunha, Fernandes, Mbuemo. Sesco
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