Manchester United have released footage from Michael Carrick’s first training session in charge of the Reds, and there was a lot to learn.
Manchester United remain without a win in 2026 as they get set to welcome local rivals Manchester City to Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon.
It has been a difficult start to the year for United, who have drawn 1-1 with 16th-placed Leeds United and 2-2 with 19th-placed Burnley, before being eliminated from the FA Cup at home by Brighton.
The run of results also coincided with a major change off the pitch, as former Head Coach Rúben Amorim was dismissed midway through the period.
Ahead of the Manchester derby, United have moved quickly to appoint Michael Carrick as head coach until the end of the season, with Saturday’s fixture marking his first game in charge.
Carrick previously served as interim boss in November 2021, guiding United to wins over Arsenal and Villarreal, as well as a 1-1 draw against then league leaders Chelsea.
Having taken his first training session on Wednesday following his appointment, United released footage of the club’s preparations for the game against Man City, with three key points standing out in the four-minute video.
#1 – Amad and Mbeumo still combining down the right
One big question that remains unanswered following Amorim’s departure is what the future holds for Amad and Bryan Mbeumo. They established a deadly attacking force down the right flank under Aomrim as winger and wing-back, but with United transitioning to a 4-2-3-1, these positions have changed.
In the two games since Amorim’s dismissal, United have been without the pair due to the Africa Cup of Nations, but both are now available to face City. In the footage, several moments were captured showing them both combining fluently on the right flank.
How this translates to the starting XI is yet to be seen. But amid Matheus Cunha’s mixed form, fans have proposed that Amad could take the right spot with Mbeumo on the left, similar to how Amorim played the duo against Tottenham.
#2 – Mainoo and Šeško finishing off attacking plays
A second major question has surrounded the ever-changing future of Kobbie Mainoo. Under Amorim, the player was desperate to leave on loan to secure game-time, but this desire is thought to have waned since the 40-year-old’s dismissal.
Speaking in the summer, Carrick openly stated that he sees Mainoo as more of an attacking player, and this was evident in training, as the midfielder was filmed finishing off numerous attacking drills alongside striker Benjamin Šeško.
While this does not necessarily indicate that Mainoo could be playing as advanced as the Slovenian, Carrick’s words, combined with the player’s involvement in the attacking phases, could suggest that the new head coach could look to give Mainoo freedom to attack when needed.
Read More: Championship boss confirms interest in Manchester United star, “We have an option to bring…”
#3 – Dorgu prominently on the left in training
A third question facing Carrick is who plays at left-back. Luke Shaw is the experienced candidate, having held the position for United when fit for over a decade, but Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu has begun to shine both as a left winger and left back since the turn of the year.
Carrick likes one of his full-backs to push up high while the other stays back, and in United’s case, this could be utilised through Dorgu starting at left-back and maintaining a high position on the field while Diogo Dalot, or Noussair Mazraoui upon his AFCON return next week, tucks into the defence.
In the footage, Dorgu was seen to be playing almost exclusively on the left side during the player drills, which could indicate that Carrick may want to use the 21-year-old as a left-back going forward.
Make sure to follow UtdDistrict on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok to never miss out on any of our Manchester United content. Our podcast, What the Devil?, is streamed live every Thursday at 14:00 pm (GMT) on the United View YouTube channel.