Michael Carrick has four tough decisions to make as Manchester United line up to face cross-town rivals Man City on Sunday afternoon.
Manchester United remain in search of their first win of 2026 as they get ready to welcome local rivals Manchester City to Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon.
It has been a challenging opening to the year for United, who have drawn 1-1 with 16th-placed Leeds United and 2-2 with 19th-placed Burnley, before suffering an FA Cup exit at home to Brighton. That run of results was accompanied by significant upheaval, with former Rúben Amorim dismissed.
With the Manchester derby looming, United have appointed Michael Carrick as head coach until the end of the campaign, handing him his first match in charge against City.
Carrick has experience in the role, having taken temporary charge in November 2021, when he guided United to victories over Arsenal and Villarreal, as well as a 1-1 draw against then league leaders Chelsea.
Carrick has four decisions to make vs Man City
There is no doubt that Carrick will line United up in a 4-2-3-1 formation on Saturday afternoon, but who plays in the starting XI is a matter of four questions.
Senne Lammens is expected to start in goal, while Diogo Dalot remains the club’s only natural right-back. However, one decision that must be made is who starts at centre-back. Harry Maguire has returned from injury, but Lisandro Martínez and Ayden Heaven have paired well and could continue.
Meanwhile, another decision must be made: left-back. Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu played at right-back against Brighton and performed well, but Carrick may trust Luke Shaw more, and his experience could be pivotal at Old Trafford. Dorgu could also be used as a bench asset in attack, too.
Next, Carrick will have to pick who starts in his pivot. Casemiro feels a certainty to play, as one of them, while Manuel Ugarte or Kobbie Mainoo plays in the other. If Carrick wants to be conservative, then Ugarte is the option, but considering the game is a bit ofa free hit, Mainoo could be the better pick.
Bruno Fernandes is expected to start as the attacking midfielder, while Benjamin Šeško, who has three goals in his last two appearances, will play as the starting striker.
Finally, Carrick must pick who will play as his left and right wingers. Amad and Bryan Mbuemo have returned from the Africa Cup of Nations and are back in full training this week, but both tend to favour the right flank.
On the other hand, Matheus Cunha and Mason Mount have been the favourites for the left-hand side, although both players have a tendency to drift into the middle of the pitch rather than keep width.
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With Carrick possibly looking to stretch City as much as he can on Saturday afternoon and create space for his front line, it may be best for him to stick with Amad on the right and play Mbeumo on the left, similarly to Amorim’s setup against Tottenham earlier this season.
This would then leave the head coach with Dorgu, Mount, and Cunha all as options off the bench.
United predicted XI vs Man City
Lammens, Dalot, Heaven, Martínez, Shaw, Casemiro, Mainoo, Amad, Fernandes, Mbeumo, Šeško.
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