Manchester United have had a week to forget and will look to bounce back when they take on Fulham on Sunday afternoon
Michael Carrick applauds the fans after the Carabao Cup Third Round match between Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion.
Michael Carrick has been warned about his Man United job. (Image: Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
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Manchester United boss Michael Carrick has been told that his tactics are putting his job at Old Trafford in danger. The team have suffered a difficult week, losing to both Manchester City and Brighton.
The Manchester derby saw United unable to overcome 10-men for the majority of the game. Wednesday night then saw the team pegged back from 2-0 up to lose 3-2 against Brighton in the Carabao Cup.
The full-time whistle was greeted with boos from around the stands, with some questions now being asked of Carrick. The former midfielder was appointed permanently in the summer, after leading United back to Champions League football.
Former United striker Louis Saha has now hit out at Carrick’s tactics and highlighted what he believes could be improved. Speaking to Betano, he said: “The problem with Manchester United this season is not the players. Benjamin Sesko missed pre-season after his injury.
“Some players took their time to return after the World Cup. In truth I don’t think it was a good summer transfer window for Manchester United. But Michael Carrick has to adapt.
“I don’t see a team that has the animation it needs. Manchester United needs a system to play good football, with patterns of play.
“I think the way they are playing now is dangerous to Michael Carrick because this is not down to the players. Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, even Bruno Fernandes need a team that is playing with more fluidity, and I don’t think their teammates are doing that at the moment.
“The two defensive midfielders look too comfortable passing the ball slowly, side-to-side. It does not provide the sort of passes forward to create those one-on-one moments.
“In transition they are too slow. It doesn’t matter who you put in these situations, whether it’s Sesko or Cunha or Mbeumo, if one of them isn’t taking more risks and pressing forward, it’s not going to help advance the play.
Man Utd crashed out of the Carabao Cup at Old Trafford
Man Utd crashed out of the Carabao Cup against Brighton
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“United create some chances but they are not clear cut chances, and they aren’t using the acceleration of Marcus Rashford to get behind teams, so they don’t have that dimension either. It’s all too slow.”
Midfield was a priority in the summer transfer window. United spent a total of £155 million on signing Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba.
But, despite the arrivals, it’s the exit of Casemiro, who left on a free transfer in the summer that Saha says has had the biggest impact.
“How can Michael Carrick avoid falling short as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer did? What he must do now is support the team to animate the system, a way of playing, a certain motion and rhythm to what they do,” he added.
“Some of this comes naturally from the players you have but everything else must come from the manager. Last season a lot of that came from Casemiro. They still have not replaced him.
Casemiro of Manchester United celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Brentford at Old Trafford.
Casemiro left the club in the summer(Image: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
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“People said he had no legs left but look at what Manchester United have lost now. He was the animator of the team. He gave everyone a belief in what they were doing.
“He was ready to seize the moment and take a risk and you could feel it in how they played. That’s why he is a great, great midfielder and has shown it over the years because he brought that balance.
“I think they can have that again with the players at the club but now it is Michael Carrick who must give this balance to the team as the manager. Maybe Carlos Baleba can offer this when he comes back from injury, which would also allow Bruno Fernandes to facilitate the strikers too.
“United need someone who excites the team, winning the ball, feeding the runners, lifting the crowd. United need something special there because they are missing a player who is dynamic and creative.”