Man Utd have secured some big results in the Premier League this season but they haven’t always found it easy to break down deeper defences.
Manchester United have secured some big scalps this season already(Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Manchester United might not have been involved in the wild conclusion to the league phase of the Champions League on Wednesday night, but there was still a familiarity to proceedings. It was a good night for the Premier League and should almost guarantee a fifth spot in the competition next season.
Five of the clubs finishing in the top eight were English and United have beaten four of them. With Tottenham to come at Old Trafford in a couple of weeks, they might add another scalp to that list, while they have also got the better of Newcastle this season as well.
It is an impressive resume, but also a confusing one. United were nowhere near the Champions League last season and although they sit fourth this season, they have been better against the elite, as this record shows.
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Under Ruben Amorim, they beat Chelsea at Old Trafford and Liverpool at Anfield. They finished sixth and third, respectively, in the Champions League. Since Michael Carrick’s appointment, there have been wins against Manchester City (eighth) and Arsenal (first). It is undoubtedly an impressive record.
The Champions League standings also show the strength of the Premier League. Tottenham have been shambolic for a second successive domestic campaign, but have somehow ended an eight-game league phase ahead of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Paris St-Germain in Europe.
That suggests that if Carrick can secure a return to the Champions League for next season, then United should have confidence that they can go far in the competition, whoever is in the dugout.
To achieve that, they will need to back up good performances against teams that let them play with wins against teams that don’t. That was a weakness towards the end of the Amorim era and will be put to the test this weekend.
OPINION
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Carrick and his coaching staff have delivered two impressive performances so far, but much of the focus has been on out-of-possession work against City and Arsenal. When United have had the ball, they have often had space to attack and run into. That won’t be on offer against Fulham.
Instead, Carrick and his assistant Steve Holland need to come up with a plan that breaks teams down, especially those happy to sit in a low block at Old Trafford, which is exactly what Fulham will do. They will be a threat on the break and will look for set-pieces to exploit for Harry Wilson.
United have won just half of their games at Old Trafford this season and while the wins include games against Chelsea and City, Everton and Brighton have won there and West Ham, Bournemouth and Wolves have all secured draws since the start of last month.
That’s why Sunday’s fixture might be Carrick’s biggest test yet. It requires a different skill set and approach. It’s no good beating the best if you come unstuck against teams that don’t allow you to play.
If United can deliver a performance and a result on Sunday, then they will take a major step towards Champions League qualification and the chance to show that they can mix it with the best in Europe as well.
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