Manchester United New boss

By Manas Shastri On

 Manchester United New Boss

Manchester United have appointed former Manchester United manager Michael Carrick as the caretaker manager until the end of the season following Ruben Amorim's sacking and Darren Fletcher's return to the U-18's. Michael Carrick's first game of the season will be against Manchester City in a Manchester derby at Old Trafford. Here's what could happen:

1. Formation & System

Michael Carrick usually plays a 4-2-3-1 with an alone striker. He also usually pushes one fullback further up the pitch to create more pressure, making a 3-2-4-1 shape, allowing for more control and dominance. Some fullbacks he could use is Patrick Dorgu, who has been impressive when being closer to goal. But he could struggle on the defensive side. 

He also has some problems to fix, wether to choose Bryan Mbuemo or Amad Diallo for the starting 11 against City. Another problem problem is the midfield. As Manuel Ugarte as been inconsistent, Casemiro is getting older, and Kobbie Mainoo has played a lack of games to gain experience. Furthermore, the club doesn't really have a natural left winger, which is why fitting Matheus Cunha into the system will be difficult, as it is almost impossible to play Cunha in the number 10 role as Captain Bruno Fernandes is there. 

Thus, my predicted 11 against Manchester City would be:

  • GK - Senne Lammens
  • LB - Luke Shaw
  • RB - Diogo Dalot
  • LCB - Lisandro Martinez 
  • RCB - Leny Yoro
  • CDM - Kobbie Mainoo
  • CDM - Casemiro
  • CAM  - Bruno Fernandes
  • LW - Matheus Cunha
  • RW - Bryan Mbuemo
  • ST - Benjamin Sesko

2. What Could Happen During the game 

During the game against Manchester City, we could see Manchester United play more patient and compact as they wouldn't want to be exposed wide with Jeremy Doku and new signing Antoine Semenyo. My prediction would be a 2-2 draw. Although it might happen due to City's defensive injury crisis. Moreover, we can expect Man Utd playing in a low block, and maybe suprisingly we can see the team adapt quickly to Michael Carricks tactics. Potentially causing an upset. 

3. What winning could mean

Winning the Manchester Derby on Saturday could mean that Manchester United would be closer to finishing in a top 5 spot in the Premier League, Granting them Champions League football, and more money in the bank for the summer to spend on players, further enhancing the rebuild process and getting man utd closer to their winning days. 

Conclusion

Overall, Michael Carrick’s return as caretaker manager brings both familiarity and uncertainty to Manchester United at a crucial point in the season. His preferred system could add more structure and control to the team, but key issues in midfield balance, defensive stability, and attacking width remain major challenges. The Manchester derby will be a huge test of Carrick’s tactical approach and the players’ ability to adapt quickly. While a positive result against City could boost confidence and keep Champions League qualification within reach, it will also highlight how much work is still needed in the rebuild. Regardless of the result, this period under Carrick could define the direction United take for the rest of the season and beyond.


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