Michael Carrick has been a breath of fresh air at Man Utd, and a big reason why is a silent change he’s made that players were begging for under Ruben Amorim.
A lot of things have been fixed by Michael Carrick after taking over from Ruben Amorim, from restoring Kobbie Mainoo to the team to restoring Bruno Fernandes further forward.
However, those changes are all tangible and were asked for by the fans for a long time, even when Amorim was winning a few games.
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The biggest change might just have been a silent one brought about by Carrick, and it was something players were begging for under his predecessor.
Manchester United head coach / manager Ruben Amorim during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Manchester United at Villa Park on December 21, 2025
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Michael Carrick’s ‘silent’ change at Man Utd
Not every change has to be loud and visible. In fact, the changes that make the most difference are often in the background.
United, on the calmest of days, invite intense scrutiny and pressure from all corners, with not even their own ex-players sparing the current squad.
At such a club where the pressure cooker is always close to bursting, the worst thing you can do is to add to the pressure unprompted.
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Carrick understands this perfectly well, which is why he has immediately doused any flames of controversy before they have a chance to turn into a full-blown fire.
Be it his decision to bench Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha, or the weird one-sided tiff driven by Roy Keane over his managerial credentials, Carrick has batted away all these potential negative headlines with the same calmness that characterised his playing career.
For once, United’s press conferences are measured and calm while still being honest, and nobody is benefiting from this ‘silent’ change more than the players.
Ruben Amorim was hurting the players in the name of ‘honesty’
Amorim’s honesty was refreshing when he came in, but it quickly reached the levels of borderline self-flagellation and resentment.
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Patrick Dorgu celebrates with his teammates during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Newcastle United.
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From threatening to resign every two months to calling out the academy, Amorim gave headlines to anyone and everyone who wanted to listen.
Take, for example, Patrick Dorgu, who was the subject of a media storm out of nowhere when Amorim said he felt ‘anxious’ when he had the ball.
That is not the kind of thing that needs to be said publicly, especially if it has already been communicated privately.
All it does is invite even more pressure on the player when they play the next time, as all eyes are on them, hardly an ideal scenario at a club like United.
Calling his United side the worst in Premier League history, to telling everyone that a “storm is coming” when the euphoria of a win hasn’t even worn off, Amorim kept casting gloom on the club.
Players under Carrick aren’t necessarily better. They are just relieved that they won’t be the subjects of a negative HL in the morning newspapers due to their head coach being bombastic in the media in the name of “brutal honesty”.
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