Leny Yoro doesn’t sit near the top when it comes to Michael Carrick’s success stories at Man Utd, but he might be climbing that list quickly.
The injury to Lisandro Martinez opened the door for Leny Yoro to come into the first XI, and despite some hiccups, he grew into the role.
Yoro’s performance against Aston Villa was his best yet under Michael Carrick, and the centre-back is now crediting Carrick for a key change in his game.
It’s something that he had the potential to do, and can really take him to the next level.
Leny Yoro speaks with Michael Carrick during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Manchester United at the London Stadium in 2026 in London, England.
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Leny Yoro credits Michael Carrick for improving on-ball skills
The tantalising thing about Yoro when he signed was that he had the perfect mix of physicality and technicality to excel at the top level.
He has started growing into his frame this season as he grapples with the Premier League’s physicality, something which Ruben Amorim stressed on as well.
However, Amorim almost failed him too, because the focus on physicality and intensity was so much that the skills on the ball took a backseat.
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In a recent episode of the Inside Carrington podcast, Yoro credited Carrick with bringing the focus back on working with the ball and helping him improve in that area.
He said: “Yeah, I really enjoy working with him. We speak a lot. He was a big player also. And he always likes to speak with me about how I can help the team to progress with the ball. And he helped me also to understand the game, to think more about how my midfielder plays, how the number 10 plays.
“And this is something I really like, you know, I like to stay with the ball, have the ball, help the team to go forward. So this is something he helped me to improve with.”
Carrick’s work in possession makes him the ideal Man Utd manager
After being pigeonholed as a counter-attacking team that can’t break down low-blocks, Carrick’s work in possession is a breath of fresh air.
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United continue to look more comfortable against teams that press high and leave space behind, but something so fundamental can’t be changed in just three months.
The direction of coaching matters, and Carrick’s past as a progressive-minded midfielder naturally makes him more inclined to coach a possession-dominant style of play.
That is exactly what United have been crying out for, and the shoots of growth are visible, as evidenced by the wins against Spurs, Everton, and Aston Villa recently.
The more the players get comfortable playing with the ball, the better United will be in possession instead of just trying to hoof it quickly ahead at the first opportunity.
It makes Carrick the perfect manager for United’s philosophy.
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