Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko have played up front for Man Utd this season but they play the role in very different ways
Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha
Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha give Manchester United very different attacking options
View 3 Images
Manchester United's centre-backs know exactly what they will be up against at Old Trafford on Sunday. Erling Haaland is the first name on the teamsheet for Manchester City, partly because he's the club's only senior striker, but to be forewarned isn't necessarily to be forearmed for Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez.
Haaland can take some stopping, although he was neutered by the United duo back in January and they can at least prepare for what's coming. Their counterparts have no such luxury.
City's centre-backs could find themselves up against the physical Benjamin Sesko, ready to battle for second balls, hold up the ball and play on the last line of defence. Or it could be Matheus Cunha, and they could go 20 minutes without seeing him.
If Sesko's first thought is to run towards the goal, Cunha's is to go in the opposite direction. When he plays as a false nine, his average position is deeper than Bruno Fernandes', and he is about combination play and movement, dragging defenders out of position, rather than looking to get in behind them.
Cunha's heat map from the Hill Dickinson Stadium last Sunday is a good example. He is everywhere, but not as present as the team's actual centre-forward. Ever since his arrival as head coach, Carrick has favoured a front three that can roam, and he used Bryan Mbeumo in this role for much of last season.
Cunha's heat map
View 3 Images
When Sesko came on at Everton, he provided more of a focal point, heading in Luke Shaw's cross to restore United's lead, and he played more between the centre-backs, on the last line, looking to stretch play and get in positions from which he could score.
Sesko's touch map
View 3 Images
The stats bear that out. Cunha had an xG of 0.12 from two shots in 70 minutes, but he did have 42 touches and 28 passes. Sesko came on and managed just seven touches and five passes, but he also had two shots and scored what was United's only 'big chance' of the game, as defined by Opta.
The two played in the same team against Sabah on Thursday night and both got on the scoresheet. Cunha roamed from his left-wing position to score at the near post, while Sesko scored the kind of goal as a No.9 that it's hard to see the Brazilian scoring, breaking the offside trap to round the goalkeeper.
It's harder to see them both starting against Manchester City. With Marcus Rashford almost certain to come back in, and Mbeumo on the right in the absence of Amad, it's between Cunha and Sesko for a start as either the false nine or the No.9.
Carrick is aware they have different strengths, and while he likes having that tactical flexibility to call on, he admits the decision also takes into account what the opposition is doing. Against City in January, he went with a more fluid front three, which might hint that Cunha could get the nod.
"They definitely do have different strengths," he said. "I think there are principles of what we're trying to achieve as a team and the way we're trying to play hopefully doesn't change too much with personnel, but it definitely gives us different options, if that makes sense.
"We still want to play a certain way, try certain things, but there's a different threat to Ben, to Matheus, to Bryan, to Marcus, to whoever's up there. So it's a little bit on the opposition, yeah, a little bit on just the balance of our team as well, and certain things we want to attack, certain spaces, or whatever that may be.
"Sometimes it's in possession, sometimes it's without the ball, and certain things we've got to defend certain areas. So quite a bit goes into it."
It's a luxury for Carrick to have those options, but it does require tinkering on the training ground to make it work. Mbeumo teed up Sesko's goal against Sabah because he knew the £73million striker would be making that run, while he would probably be aware that Cunha wouldn't be in that position.
Having been handed Brazil's No.9 shirt and played that role in the World Cup, Cunha is showing he can do it, albeit his tournament ended with an anonymous display against Norway that saw him taken off early.
That is a reminder that there will be days when the idea of an interchangeable front three riffing off each other doesn't always work. The good news for United is that they have a plan B in Sesko. That might well be his role again this weekend.