Michael Carrick’s post-match interview confirmed that he made a mistake and that he will now look to rectify it before Everton.
Manchester United remain in fourth place following yesterday’s draw away to West Ham. The draw marks United’s first time dropping points in Michael Carrick’s second manager spell, though the team are still unbeaten.
A 50th-minute opener from Tomas Soucek saw the Hammers head in front before a response from Casemiro, which was ruled offside by VAR. United trailed until the 96th minute when a Bryan Mbuemo cross was met by a fantastic Benjamin Šeško finish.
The last-second equaliser from Šeško marks his second goal as a substitute in February. The striker is yet to gain a start under Carrick, but rotation is expected for United’s game away to Everton in 12 days time.
United fans have left the game feeling disappointed by the performance from the players who were expected to win their fifth game in a row. Despite having the majority of possession, United failed to create convincing chances.
Carrick suggests tactical changes
Carrick reacted to the match and how United struggled against West Ham’s low block, saying: “It’s challenging. We’re all craving for it (forward passes). We want these moments when we can open them up.”
The lack of chances led United to have just 0.57xG compared to West Ham’s 1.11. Carrick continued to say: “It’s the balance of a team who are so dangerous on turnovers, and they can attack so fast. It’s the balance of risking a pass. As much as you want to progress, you’ve got to be in a position to manage the game and have an element of control.”
United controlled possession throughout the game but failed to use it effectively. Carrick commented on how United will look to fix these mistakes: “We went a bit too far towards control tonight, but that’s something we’ll work on.”
United have 12 days to make changes and allow for a more dangerous approach to their encounter with eighth-place Everton. The home fixture against Everton this season marked one of the most disappointing performances of the Rúben Amorim era, so Carrick will look to fix these sour memories.
Carrick comments on attacking mistakes
Carrick continued to speak about the attacking problems for United; he said: “There is a bit on different games and the situations and how we want to attack, what the game looks like. We probably didn’t quite get the balance right for the first part of the game, that happens, teams are allowed to stop it.”
West Ham’s defence had top performances all around, putting United’s chances to a minimum. Ex-United full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka was particularly important, clearing a Luke Shaw chance off the line in the first half.
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Šeško may be tipped for a start against Everton as United look to make tactical changes to the frontline. The striker will look to continue his top form and provide a more lethal edge to United’s attack.
A win against Everton will be vital for United, who look to secure a Champions League spot. Fifth-place Chelsea also failed to pick up three points last night against Leeds, allowing United to keep their fourth-place spot.
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