Leon Osman noticed one change that Michael Carrick made during Manchester United’s 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur that he believes won them the game.
Michael Carrick named an unchanged starting XI as Manchester United hosted Thomas Frank’s Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford in a rain-soaked Premier League clash on Saturday afternoon.
Tottenham began the match on the front foot, looking the sharper side early on, though the wet conditions made life difficult for both teams. The momentum shifted just before the half-hour mark when Spurs captain Cristian Romero was shown a straight red card for a reckless challenge on Casemiro.
United capitalised on their numerical advantage soon after, taking the lead through Bryan Mbeumo, who rounded off an expertly worked corner routine. Chances followed for Casemiro and Amad, but the hosts were unable to double their advantage before the break. After half-time, both Amad and Matheus Cunha saw goals ruled out for offside.
With 15 minutes remaining, substitutions came from both benches, and United finally secured their second goal of the afternoon. Bruno Fernandes showed his class by delicately finishing a Diogo Dalot cross, sealing a 2–0 victory and another three points for Carrick’s side.
The unnoticed change that secured the win for Man Utd
With the man advantage, it was always going to be United who would have the better odds of securing all three points.
Despite this, on the day, United were less clinical than they had been in Carrick’s previous three games. After one change, however, United were able to score their second of the game in the 81st minute and secure all three points.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Everton midfielder Leon Osman spoke on the unnoticed change, saying, “The sub before the goal was positive from Carrick. Yes, it seems like for like bringing Sesko on for Cunha, but it was also a change of formation to go with two up top.
“With the two strikers, they are occupying Spurs’ back four in a more positive way, and Fernandes being moved to play off the left means he can arrive in the box from those wide positions.
“They didn’t need the second goal, they could have kept the midfield security, but they got their reward.”
Man Utd rewarded for their positive substitutes
It would have been easy for Manchester United to rest on their laurels towards the end of the second half, being a man up and a goal up on the afternoon.
It would have been easy for Carrick to take off Cunha and replace him with the likes of Ayden Heaven or Manuel Ugarte. Instead, he brought on a like-for-like replacement, bringing on Benjamin Šeško in the hunt for a second goal to kill off the game.
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They were duly rewarded for their bravery, with the second goal staving off a nervy finish to the game at Old Trafford, comfortably securing all three points.
This season, United have conceded several late goals that have cost them points, as seen by an 84th-minute goal to Bournemouth in their 4-4 draw and an 83rd-minute West Ham goal in a 1-1 draw.
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