Familiar questions for Man Utd, now Carrick must find answers – BBC Sport
BBC Homepage | Skip to content | Accessibility Help | Your account
Home
News | Sport | Earth | Reel | Worklife | Travel | Culture | Future | Music | TV | Weather | Sounds
BBC Sport
- Home
- Football
- Cricket
- Formula 1
- Rugby U
- Tennis
- Golf
- Cycling
- Athletics
- More
- A-Z Sports (American Football, Athletics, Basketball, Boxing, Cricket, Cycling, Darts, Disability Sport, Football, Formula 1, Gaelic Games, Golf, Gymnastics, Horse Racing, Mixed Martial Arts, Motorsport, Netball, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Snooker, Swimming, Tennis, Full Sports A-Z)
- More from Sport
- England
- Scotland
- Wales
- Northern Ireland
- Quizzes | News Feeds | Help & FAQs
Manchester United
- Scores & Fixtures
- Table
- Live Match Updates
- Podcasts
- Transfers
- Who Am I? Quiz
- Ask Me Anything
Familiar questions for Man Utd, now Carrick must find answers
Image source: Getty Images
Image caption: Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick during the derby defeat to Manchester City
By Simon Stone, Manchester United reporter
Published 14 minutes ago
For the third time in less than 10 months, Manchester United have been beaten by opponents reduced to 10 men before half-time. While arguments rage around the official apology from Pro Ref to United for what they say was "an error of judgement" regarding Erling Haaland’s matchwinner, the inquest will go much deeper at the club’s Carrington training ground.
After pushing back on the idea four points from three games wasn’t a great start at Everton last weekend, head coach Michael Carrick now accepts "there is no getting away" from the fact four points from four games is below expectations.
One win, at home to newly-promoted Ipswich, means so many questions – around recruitment, team selection, substitutions, tactics, and Carrick himself – will now start to be asked ahead of a huge week.
"We don’t need a break or a restart," said Carrick. "We’ve just got to move on and get winning again."
United entertain Brighton in the Carabao Cup on 16 September, before a trip to Fulham four days later.
If nothing else, Carrick needs his side to deliver to prevent a new three-week international break being filled with external inquests around what is going wrong at Old Trafford.
Have Man Utd got their recruitment right?
Image source: Getty Images
Image caption: Youri Tielemans was the only new signing who was involved in Manchester United’s defeat by Manchester City
Speaking in his post-match press conference, new City boss Enzo Maresca accepted Phil Foden’s red card made the game more difficult for his side. However, he also highlighted why he knew it would also be a problem for United.
"They are a team that loves transitions and space in behind," he said. "With 10 players, we just dropped and waited for them, so we didn’t concede any transitions and didn’t concede any space in behind. That is why the game became more difficult for us and for them."
United have been more effective as a counter-attacking team since Jose Mourinho arrived at the club over a decade ago. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wanted to change it, but never quite got there. The same, to an extent, is true of Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim, both of whom came to United after achieving success in a domestic league where their side dominated the opposition. As a player, Carrick liked to get on the ball and not give it away. It is fair to assume that is what he wants from his players.
Keeping the ball is one thing. Having the vision and skill to keep possession and create chances against opponents quite prepared to sit in, deny space, and keep their shape is another.
United’s summer recruitment strategy was based around their midfield. Yet, with Youri Tielemans yet to find top form, Carlos Baleba still to make his debut, and Andrey Santos dropped to the bench after the opening game at Hull…
