The Michael Carrick vs Ruben Amorim debate rages on amongst the Manchester United contingent, but the former’s latest discovery should end it once and for all.
The results under Michael Carrick speak for themselves, but there’s an argument to be made that the foundations for even those were laid under Ruben Amorim.
Amorim can be credited with refreshing the dressing room culture to create a sense of unity, with the problematic characters shipped off.
Ruben Amorim deserves ___ % credit for Michael Carrick’s BRILLIANT start at Man Utd
Fill in the blank. Did Amorim lay the foundation for success at Old Trafford?
Michael Carrick and Ruben Amorim as Man Utd managers split image
Michael Carrick and Ruben Amorim as Man Utd managers
However, that doesn’t take away from Carrick, and the current Man Utd manager’s own discovery has just exposed what Amorim failed to achieve.
Ruben Amorim looks on prior to the Premier League match between Leeds United and Manchester United at Elland Road in 2026 in Leeds, England.
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Michael Carrick’s ‘most pleasing’ Man Utd discovery
Carrick has engineered wins so far against the two best teams in the league, plus Fulham, who are one of the most in-form teams in the league.
In all three games, a common thread has been the contribution from the whole squad, with no glaringly bad performances.
Moreover, the players who haven’t started these games have made an impact off the bench, be it Matheus Cunha’s heroics against Arsenal and City, or Benjamin Sesko’s winner against Fulham.
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It speaks volumes about Carrick’s in-game management and man-management skills that he’s leveraged the players’ frustration about not starting into brilliant performances when they do get the chance.
He said that these wins, powered by players off the bench, are something special, as they leave everyone on an emotional high after the game.
He said [via TNT Sports]: “That’s probably been one of the most pleasing things to see [subs contributing to wins]. I think the way the whole group’s gone really together and kind of invested in it, you can’t fake those emotions at the end of the games.
“We’ve seen it over the years that some players are not happy even if the team’s doing well because they’re not the main man, but these boys have been fantastic.”
Ruben Amorim cost Man Utd games with his subs
Amorim’s centre-back swaps have become infamous in United’s managerial history now, but it would have still been understandable had the team succeeded.
Are you ANNOYED that Ruben Amorim never sent a message to the fans after being sacked?
Ruben Amorim is waiting until the end of the season to address his Man United sacking…
Ruben Amorim talking point graphic.
Credit: Getty Images.
Instead, Man United fans had to wait until Carrick came into the job to see the first goal scored from a substitute all season.
For a club that built its reputation on never giving up and getting last-minute winners, Amorim’s subs were the antithesis of what it means to be a Man Utd manager.
Not getting winners from late subs is still out of the manager’s hands to an extent, but Amorim’s changes actively cost the team points.
By being defensive with his subs, he invited pressure, and when the team inevitably broke down under relentless pressure, the players’ mentality was questioned.
Carrick has shown in just three games that a little shift in mentality goes a long way, and the results are there for all to see.
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