Michael Carrick clearly understands the importance of one “decisive player” at Manchester United more than former Red Devils head coach Ruben Amorim.
Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United managerial reign came to a crashing end earlier this month after a turbulent 14-month spell at the Premier League club.
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Despite his best efforts at Old Trafford, Amorim never truly captured the consistent momentum that United fans were so desperate to see under his Red Devils run.
Instead, the 40-year-old former United manager was labelled ‘stubborn’ and ‘unpragmatic’ with his approach to football at the Premier League side.
Amorim’s inflexibility with his Man Utd system and his choice words against the Ineos regime at Old Trafford ultimately cost the ex-Sporting CP manager his role.
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Gary Neville reacts to Michael Carrick prior to the Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford in 2026 in Manchester, England.
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Michael Carrick did exactly what Roberto Martinez would have done at Man Utd unlike Ruben Amorim
One of the most head-scratching moments of Ruben Amorim’s entire Manchester United spell was his decision to deploy Bruno Fernandes in the two-man pivot.
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United were already vulnerable by trying to play a midfield two in a contentious tactical system that didn’t have the right players that Amorim needed in the first place.
Bruno Fernandes’ influence in attack waned and the 31-year-old Man Utd captain’s position change also had a knock-on effect for Kobbie Mainoo’s role in the team.
Roberto Martinez has harnessed Fernandes’ true potential with Portugal by deploying the Red Devils skipper behind Cristiano Ronaldo in the attacking set-up as a No 10.
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Bruno Fernandes MOTM graphic
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Speaking after Man Utd’s 1-0 defeat to Everton at Old Trafford last November, Roberto Martinez could not have been clearer about Fernandes’ importance in a team.
“He is the king of the assist, he can see players in front of him,” he said on Sky Sports at the time.
“If you use him as a No 6, he’s the decisive player. If you use him as a No 10, his goalscoring ratio increases a lot.
“He’s the first person who can play. There’s a Man Utd with Bruno and a different Man Utd without Bruno.
“He understands the game, so he can be used by the coach in different positions. Delays the attack when he needs to, play the hardest ball which is in front of the centre halves.
“He’s a player who could have played in any of the top Manchester United teams in their history.”
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Michael Carrick used Man Utd captain Bruno Fernandes exactly how Ruben Amorim should have been all along
Michael Carrick was already familiar with the brilliance of Bruno Fernandes, having been a part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s staff when the midfielder was signed.
The 44-year-old United legend threw out Amorim’s tactics from the moment he walked through the doors at Old Trafford again and pivoted away from his system.
Bruno Fernandes cut City apart – now he needs to do it against Arsenal next weekend!
He was extremely unlucky to have a goal ruled out of his own
Fernandes
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Carrick’s tactics for Man Utd produced the results that Portugal manager Roberto Martinez had tipped if Fernandes was deployed as a No 10 in the team.
Fernandes returned to the No 10 role at the weekend and was the standout performer in United’s 2-0 Premier League win over Manchester City at Old Trafford.
Man Utd’s result over Manchester City was not only important for three points being bagged, but it was also the shackles around Fernandes being unlocked.
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