Michael Carrick is at the Manchester United wheel now – not Ole Gunnar Solskjaer,
We promised we wouldn’t get ahead of ourselves but credit must go to Carrick for surviving a first stint in charge of the club his former boss recently left behind.
With Solskjaer finally removed from the Red Devils dugout, the reins were passed to his right-hand man. The ex-England international’s trial run as a senior manager? A Champions League tie at Villarreal.
That’s a tall order at the best of times but the added pressure of a possible promotion from the group stage also hung large
After a slightly shaky start, United grew into the game and eventually defeated the Spaniards 2-0 thanks to a disciplined and structured performance.
Carrick versus Solskjaer
These were Solskjaer’s players taking on Carrick’s plan. On last night’s evidence, perhaps the Norwegian should have accepted more advice from his number two?
Here are three things United’s interim manager did versus Villarreal his predecessor should have tried:
Carrick switches Sancho
Not only was it a huge night for the coach and the club, it was also a significant evening for Jadon Sancho.
He was a starter for only the eighth time since his summer move from Borussia Dortmund. In that period the attacker had failed to score or assist for his new employers.
That slate was finally wiped clean last night after Sancho netted United’s second with 90 minutes on the clock.
The goal topped a productive outing for the 21-year-old, who enjoyed arguably his best performance following that expensive – and drawn-out – transfer to Old Trafford.
Featuring on the right for most of the match may have had something to do with it. Solskjaer repeatedly deployed Sancho on the left, without any end product. Carrick switches him to the opposite flank and, hey presto, results appear.
Bruno on the bench for Manchester United
Despite the magnitude of the occasion, Carrick didn’t play it safe in his team selection. As well as picking the out-of-form Sancho, he also awarded Donny van de Beek with a rare run-out.
Perhaps the most eye-catching decision from the part-time boss was to drop Bruno Fernandes to the bench. Solskjaer’s most important player during his tenure sat as a substitute for arguably the biggest fixture of the season… a bold choice from the (interim) man in charge.
Yet the judgement call proved correct. Fernandes entered the fray on 66 minutes with Villarreal starting to flag – and made an immediate impact.
The midfielder moved the ball from side to side, disrupting the home team’s shape. Fernandes then assisted Sancho’s goal in the dying embers to seal United’s impressive victory.
Although Solskjaer may never have considered removing his talisman, perhaps in hindsight he should have done so more often.
Solskjaer and his subs
Speaking of making changes, Carrick got his subs spot on last night. United had approached the tie in safely mode until Fernandes and Marcus Rashford came on just after the hour.
The arrival of two offensive players sparked the Reds into life, allowing them to bear down on the Villarreal defence.
Carrick timed his substitutions and the choice of personnel perfectly, a trait Solskjaer often got wrong.
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