Manchester United face Aston Villa in their next Premier League match after a week off due to the FA Cup.
Michael Carrick impressed from the very start as Manchester United head coach with a brilliant 2-0 win in the Manchester derby, despite only having three days on the training pitch with the squad before the game. Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu’s goals got Carrick off to the best possible start, as they did against Arsenal, with a little help from Matheus Cunha.
A tight win against Fulham and a good performance against 10-man Tottenham Hotspur gave Carrick even more support amongst the United fanbase, before a 1-1 draw against West Ham United created some doubt as to whether Carrick was the right man for the full-time job. Benjamin Šeško saved United one point in the dying moments, before winning the game against Everton at the Hill Dickinson.
Carrick maintained support from the majority, as he still does, but a poor result against Newcastle United, with a red card for Jacob Ramsey in the first half, has left United fans worried that the new manager bounce may already be coming to an end.
United face Aston Villa in their next Premier League tie in a crucial match for their Champions League qualification hopes. However, if United play as they did against Newcastle, they will struggle to overpower Unai Emery’s side, although they have lost two of their last three Premier League games.
The changes Carrick must make
In the last two matches, Šeško has started as the centre-forward, with Bryan Mbeumo moving out to the right flank and Amad dropping to the bench. Šeško earned his start thanks to his performances from the bench, before his first start since Darren Fletcher’s stint, Carrick said: “I think Ben [Sesko] has been in a good spot and a good feeling for a number of weeks – it is building that belief and confidence.”
However, without Amad, Šeško has been starved of service and forced to feed on scraps, as many United strikers have through the years. Against Newcastle, Šeško had just 24 touches in 90 minutes, while Matheus Cunha had 36 in just 70 minutes from centre-forward against West Ham United, as per FotMob.
Amad’s dribbling ability helped create chances single-handedly for United, but without him in the side, that burden falls on Mbeumo.
The Cameroon international is undoubtedly a great player, but bursting past a full-back and putting a cross into the box is not his style of play. Instead, Mbeumo prefers to drive inside and float a ball to the back post or get a shot off. This can work, and has for United, but without a full-back holding the width outside of him, the opposition defender can easily follow Mbeumo, meaning he doesn’t have the time to put the cross in or shoot at goal.
At the start of the season, United had the best of both worlds, as Amad could drive past the full-back, while Mbeumo could cut inside with time, thanks to Amad’s run around the outside. While that won’t happen in a back four system, Carrick has to bring Amad back into the starting team.
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Who should Carrick drop?
With Šeško in form, the spot on the bench falls to Matheus Cunha or Bryan Mbeumo. Bruno Fernandes could be another consideration, but his ever-present goal contributions, as well as his standout leadership, mean United would seriously struggle without him. He will be the first name on the team sheet.
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So, Cunha or Mbeumo?
If Mbeumo drops to the bench, United would have a natural front four, with everyone close to their best positions. However, that would mean Carrick loses arguably the biggest goal threat in his squad, and one of the only fit left-footers.
If Cunha were dropped, Mbeumo would be forced out of position to the left flank, but United would have a left-footer on the left wing, which may be needed if Luke Shaw is out after substitutions against Crystal Palace and Newcastle United. Cunha showed signs of promise against Newcastle, with good dribbling past Trippier, but he is still adapting to life on the wing, rather than in the centre.
Personally, I’d go for Mbeumo on the left, Fernandes in as the No.10, Amad on the right, and Šeško through the middle. Cunha would return to his role as super sub, as he played so well against Manchester City and Arsenal.
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