Michael Carrick will be debating how to line up his Manchester United side against Arsenal this weekend but one player should be a guaranteed name on the teamsheet.
Michael Carrick made a dream start to his tenure as Manchester United’s head coach last week, masterminding an impressive derby win over Manchester City.
The Reds claimed a convincing 2–0 victory at Old Trafford, securing their third clean sheet of the campaign. The scoreline could have been even greater, with three United goals chalked off for tight offside calls.
Amid the intense pre-match build-up and noise surrounding the fixture, Carrick outthought Pep Guardiola and led the Reds to a memorable, statement performance.
Attention now turns to the next challenge, as United look to carry that momentum into Sunday’s clash with league leaders Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
Carrick must start “brilliant” United star vs Arsenal
Patrick Dorgu started on the left-wing against City, much to the surprise of fans, but it was a decision that paid off for Carrick. The youngster worked tirelessly all game on the flank and then scored the second goal.
He was used over Matheus Cunha or Benjamin Šeško and the main reason was likely for his work-rate. The 21-year-old helped Luke Shaw, who was booked in the first-half, and also tucked into the centre of midfield when needed.
Arsenal might be the best team in the division right now but they are far from a perfect side. Set-pieces have become their main threat in attack and they have struggled against some teams who defend the box well.
Should United defend as well as they did against City, Mikel Arteta’s men will likely depend on Bukayo Saka to unlock the defensive structure from their right flank. Saka usually plays well against Luke Shaw, his friend and England teammate.
That is why Dorgu, who has been described as brilliant, must start this game as he can help Shaw limit the impact of Saka on the game. The winger often relies on overlapping runs, which create an overload, to find gaps in the opposition defence.
Dorgu can limit those options for Arsenal and he is also extremely strong in duels. While he might not be as impactful as Cunha or Šeško in the final third, he is showing improvements going forward with four goal contributions in his last six games.
Dorgu can limit Saka’s impact
If Carrick’s side can limit Saka’s impact on the game, they have a much better chance of keeping Arsenal from scoring. As mentioned, set-pieces will also be crucial.
United will be hoping that they can use a similar game-plan to last week, where they hurt the opposition through transitions.
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Arteta is a smart coach, however, and despite being at the Emirates Stadium, he could allow his team to give United more possession in the game.
It will be an interesting clash and United should have their chances to impact the game, but they also need to be aware of Arsenal’s threats and Dorgu might be the best option to limit Arteta’s best attacking player.
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