What must Ruben Amorim make of it? Maybe that 3-4-2-1 might not be the answer for this Manchester United team? Perish the thought. The club’s recently sacked manager was clear that not even the pope would make him change – presumably because Leo XIV is also a big fan of three centre-halves. Saying that, Amorim did come close to losing his religion towards the bitter end, however brief and unconvincing his dalliance with a back four was. He reverted to a three for his final game at Leeds in early January.
As the dust settles on Michael Carrick’s second thrilling win as the United interim manager in two matches, the last-gasp triumph at Arsenal following the home win against Manchester City, it is a moment, first and foremost, for the club’s supporters to savour.
The bedlam in the away enclosure at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday after Matheus Cunha’s 87th-minute winner made all of those present feel lighter. Ditto the celebrations upon the full-time whistle. The songs for Carrick. For Casemiro, too, who was once again excellent in midfield. Even Sir Jim Ratcliffe looked ready to accept an invitation for a post-match interview before pulling back and pointing at the smile on his face. “This is all you need to know,” was the gist from the minority owner.
The basis for the result, as it had been against City, was United’s assurance on the ball; the bursts of quick, direct passing to get them out of tight spots and up the field. They were not as pronounced as in the derby, which was a game the players enjoyed more, but they were there as Carrick’s team recovered from an opening half-hour when they were under the cosh.
Witness the interchanges between Patrick Dorgu and Bruno Fernandes before the former lashed home the long-range drive for 2-1. Or when Kobbie Mainoo took one touch after a short pass from Fernandes before swiftly moving the ball up and past Declan Rice for Cunha, who ran on to produce another emphatic finish from distance.
It was difficult not to link it to something basic. Under Carrick, it has not been Fernandes or Mainoo plus the extra defender. It has been both of them – together with Casemiro – with a man fewer at the back. Darren Fletcher played the 4-2-3-1 with Fernandes in the No 10 role when he took charge against Burnley and Brighton after Amorim’s departure, the latter in the FA Cup. United dominated against Burnley only to find a way to draw and it was a slog in the defeat against Brighton.
Carrick has got it to work and it has been easy to fixate on Mainoo’s comeback after his deep freeze under Amorim. There is a reason why Mainoo is loved by United fans and it is not only because he is a local boy and academy product. It is because of his nervelessness on the ball, his ability to receive – especially under pressure – and make a move, maybe a shoulder drop or sharp turn, and get the team forward, either with a dribble or a secure pass.
Amorim’s frustration will be that there were signs of progress under him this season. The buildup play from the back was effective, at times; faster and more direct. The patterns could be attractive, especially when Fernandes was drilling his first-time passes. It was just that his team let themselves down so often in both boxes. The inconsistency was maddening, best reflected by the statistic that showed Amorim won back‑to‑back league matches only in one short spell – the three‑game run last October that featured victories against Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton.
Carrick has won two in a row; they were not smash and grabs, either. He is now confronted by a fresh challenge. Can he do it on a lazy Old Trafford lunchtime against Fulham on Sunday? Perversely, Amorim did not struggle in the very biggest matches against Liverpool, City and Arsenal. His record in all competitions against them read: W3 D3 L3. In other words, six positive results out of nine.
It was against less storied opponents such as Fulham where the problems came. When Amorim’s team played them at Old Trafford last season, they exited the FA Cup on penalties. United will be the favourites to win this time, just as they will be in the four fixtures that follow: Tottenham at home, West Ham and Everton away, and Crystal Palace at home. Amorim’s record against those clubs in all competitions? W3 D4 L7.
“In the coming weeks, when people expect more from us and we are the favourites to win, you also have to pull through,” Senne Lammens, the United goalkeeper, said. “They are sometimes the most difficult games, the ones you have to win.
“We know we can play against those better teams so now we have to do it against those teams who are maybe a bit more difficult to play against … [when] we play against low blocks. If you want to be a great team, you have to win against those teams as well.”
Apart from the formation and Mainoo, what has Carrick done to enjoy such a bolt from the blocks? It is impossible to ignore Dorgu, who he has played on the wing rather than at left-back – as Amorim did towards the end of his tenure.
It was a bold move to start Dorgu ahead of Cunha against City but one that was more than vindicated, with Dorgu starring and scoring. There was no debate about him keeping his place at Arsenal. It will be interesting to see if Carrick brings back Cunha against Fulham.
Carrick has pushed savvy backroom staff appointments, including that of the assistant coach, Steve Holland – a boyhood United fan, who used to follow the team home and away. Carrick has also benefited from the club’s less than crowded schedule. It is an embarrassment that United will play only 40 games this season owing to cup exits and no European football. Carrick, at least, has had time on the training pitch.
There has been no silver bullet. Rather it feels like a case of a manager doing sensible things, including getting a system to fit his players. “I’ve got to be honest … there’s not that many special things he did,” Lammens said.
“It’s just like sticking to the basics. Football is basics. If you do the basics well, then our quality comes out. Tactically, we are standing right. We are defending good together and as a team. If you fight as a team and keep believing then you can win.”
