Michael Carrick is making the whole of Man Utd tick, but his man-management masterclass truly took centre stage with the team’s odd man out.
It was a complete team performance from Michael Carrick’s side against a plucky Aston Villa side that made Man Utd work for it.
The 3-1 win was adorned with goals by Casemiro, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko, with Bruno Fernandes pulling the strings from behind.
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However, United ended the game with one odd man out despite Bryan Mbeumo being the one to make his frustration clear at his substitution.
Amad of Manchester United looks on during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Aston Villa at Old Trafford on March 15, 2026
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Amad was Man Utd’s odd man out after the win
A notable moment during the second half of the win against Villa was when Mbeumo’s number came up to be replaced by Benjamin Sesko.
Generally, Mbeumo is the one who plays the full 90, with Amad making way for the Slovenian striker in the second half.
Mbeumo didn’t make any effort to hide his frustration at the decision, even though he hadn’t had a very good game till that point.
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However, Amad was left as the odd man out at full-time, as, despite playing the whole game, he had a forgettable and often thankless outing.
The attacking spark was missing in the final third, and while United would feel thankful for his defensive effort, the player is clearly feeling the lack of goals and assists.
It was reflected in some of his actions, as he tried to go solo on multiple occasions when the better option was to pass, and he ceded possession while trying to do the remarkable when regular would have sufficed.
Carrick noticed that during the game and after the full-time whistle, he paid special attention to him.
Michael Carrick’s man-management masterclass with Amad
Carrick’s tactical ability is often unheralded, but that’s only because he’s a master at man-management, which is more than half of a managerial skill set.
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He has managed Sesko to perfection, in good times and bad, and he’s shifted his focus to Amad now.
Carrick knows Mbeumo is experienced and has seen enough of football to get over his frustration, but Amad was feeling his lack of form.
Therefore, as soon as the full-time whistle rang, Carrick ran straight to Amad, put his arm around his shoulder, and gave him a long pep talk.
Amad looked disconsolate throughout, but Carrick greeted him with full enthusiasm and tried to get his spirits up.
In fact, the decision not to take Amad off might have been a conscious one on Carrick’s part, since Amad needs to feel his manager’s trust right now.
Not only did Carrick trust Amad, but he also reserved special time for him to ensure that he didn’t feel alone and frustrated during his bad moments.
That’s how you earn a player’s loyalty, which powers their good moments for you.
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