Michael Carrick has hinted that one player will start for Manchester United in their game against Arsenal even though another player is returning to action.
Michael Carrick made an ideal start to his spell as Manchester United’s caretaker head coach, guiding the Reds to an impressive derby victory over Manchester City on Saturday.
A 2–0 success at Old Trafford sealed United’s third clean sheet of the campaign, with the margin of victory potentially far greater had three goals not been disallowed for narrow offside decisions.
Despite the intense build-up and scrutiny surrounding the encounter, Carrick outthought Pep Guardiola and led his side to a composed, statement performance.
Attention now turns to Sunday’s visit to the Emirates Stadium, where United will look to build on that momentum against league leaders Arsenal.
Carrick hints that “fantastic” star will start vs Arsenal
There are several selection headaches for Carrick ahead of this game, with the makeup of the frontline probably being the biggest due to the options available.
Another interesting decision for the United boss is who to start at right-back. Fans have been unimpressed by Diogo Dalot this season and Noussair Mazraoui has now returned from AFCON.
But if you were to listen to Carrick’s words in his pre-match press conference, it seems like Dalot will keep his place in the team after the ex-midfielder praised his ‘fantastic’ display against City.
“I thought he [Dalot] played ever so well last week, I have to say,” Carrick told reporters. “There was obviously the incident with the yellow card and that was probably after 10 minutes or so, so to go one-to-one with the winger for the rest of the game and to manage that.
“And to defend as well as he did, it was very impressive, so I was delighted with him last week. I think it’s pretty obvious that there’s been ups and downs with performance, not individually but collectively so it’s not easy to find your rhythm and find your top form individually.
“But Diogo, from what I’ve seen, I’ve known him for a while and seen him this week, he’s really focused. He’s desperate to do well and he loves playing for the club. You can see that. As I say, he played fantastically well last week, so there’s a lot for him to build on.”
Dalot cannot afford to make mistakes
Carrick’s comments about Dalot suggest that he isn’t thinking about taking him out of the team for this weekend’s clash.
Many fans would want Mazraoui to start the game but the Moroccan reportedly only returned to training on Friday. He has been included in the squad but will likely be on the bench.
Arsenal’s danger in open play often comes from their wingers and Dalot will need to show solid defensive skills if he is trusted to start again.
The Portuguese international often has good games but lapses in concentration means he makes mistakes that can sometimes be costly for the Reds.
With Mazraoui back in the squad and breathing down his neck, Dalot cannot afford to make any mistakes in upcoming games if he wants to stay in the team.
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