Manchester United's defeat to Leeds on Monday night should spark a rethink for Michael Carrick ahead of the trip to Chelsea.
Michael Carrick and his backroom team have major decisions to make before Manchester United's trip to Chelsea on Saturday
Michael Carrick and his backroom team have major decisions to make before Manchester United's trip to Chelsea on Saturday(Image: Richard Martin-Roberts - CameraSport via Getty Images)
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After a weekend that saw plenty of Manchester United's rivals slip up, the expectation was that Michael Carrick's Reds would push home their healthy advantage in the race for the Champions League. Had they beaten Leeds, United would have been sitting ten points clear of Saturday's opponents.
Instead, the worst half of football since Ruben Amorim left ensured the gap remains at seven points. There is little to miss about the Amorim era, and it is clear United would not have been comfortably in the top five had he kept his job after the previous clash with Leeds.
However, Carrick may wish to take a leaf out of the Amorim playbook following the defeat to Leeds. Kobbie Mainoo's absence from the matchday squad was a huge problem for United as soon as the team news came out. Since being revitalised post-Amorim, Mainoo has been undroppable alongside Casemiro.
The duo know each other so well and have strengthened the core of this team with their superb performances. In his absence, the decision was made to start Manuel Ugarte. Monday was the Uruguayan's first start under Carrick and eyebrows were raised as to why he was given the nod.
When Ugarte has played, he has been the defensive midfielder, given the task of protecting the back four. With Mainoo absent, United needed Ugarte to be a ball-playing midfielder and that is not his game. The 25-year-old may have been afforded more grace had it not been for a series of poor performances since joining from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024.
Ugarte really struggled throughout the game. His passing was off and he could not cope with the Leeds press.
He hesitated on the ball inside ten minutes leading to jeers from the home fans and from then onwards, Ugarte struggled. Remarkably, the midfielder played the full 90 minutes and Carrick was quick to defend him post-match.
"Since I've come in, and he's played and come on, he's been fine," the interim boss said. "I think tonight was a tough game, not just for Manu.
"It was one of those games when it was a tough night. I actually thought, especially when we went down to 10 men, that he did a lot of covering for other players to be able to attack."
You would expect nothing more than a staunch defence of Ugarte from Carrick but should Mainoo be out for Chelsea on Saturday night, the Reds must revert to a plan used by Amorim.
Bruno Fernandes played deeper for United earlier this season. The captain may be better suited to an attacking midfield role, but considering the current options, he would look more comfortable alongside Casemiro. The experienced duo could then possibly support a returning Mason Mount to the starting line-up.
United need to be careful with Mount as he returns from injury, but he offers the Reds a stronger option than Ugarte in midfield. Plus, against his old club, the 27-year-old would be eager to make a good impression.
Mount was a favourite of Amorim's when fit, but he is still waiting to forge a connection with Carrick due to injuries. The Chelsea game is the perfect chance to do just that and re-establish him as an option for United.
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