Alongside this, the only striker to start in both games was Sancho, a player who started only one of Solskjaer's last six games and didn't score, who scored in back-to-back games for Carrick. This suggests a rapid change in Sancho's fortunes, should he continue to be a
Manchester United Football Club
The key to that could be Carrick's legacy.
Of course Carrick doesn't always listen to outside voices. Few among the fans are demanding more playing moments for Martial. But had Martial been poor against Villarreal, his selection suggests that Carrick had a different plan. Van der Beck's presence in the starting lineup after a brilliant second half at Watford suggests it was a measure of knowing what to do, which has some symbolic significance in a lineup without B fee.
Also McTominay and Fred played well in the two games they entered together. In Spain Fred was involved in
Manchester United Football Club
of every goal, McTominay was outstanding at Stamford Bridge. Matic seems to be another beneficiary, having made his second start in 13 months when facing BiG6. If Carrick was once an aging midfielder himself, this might explain his fondness for them. Finally despite Mata being in
European crown
The moment of entry was just a minute long, but notably it was his first of the season for the
England Premier Soccer League
maybe
European crown
A forgotten man is remembered.
Of course none of this proves that Carrick has a boastful future as a manager. Looking back three years, most of the strategies Solskjaer started with have also been successful. But under the watchful eye of another manager, for a team in freefall, some of the positive results suggest Carrick is a manager with some cheeky ideas and a certain status, and that he has the ability to be the kind of assistant coach that Ronnyk would love.
