Michael Carrick has reminded fans that there's a United way to do it all. A year ago, Marcus Rashford was at Barcelona, Carrick had just been sacked by Championship side Middlesbrough and Ruben Amorim was preparing for his first full season in charge at Old Trafford. A year later, they all meet in the same place under totally different circumstances.
Rashford, Manchester United's prodigal son, has returned to new management, but for him it's not so new. He finds Carrick, United's new head coach and his former team-mate and captain, with his arms wide open, willing to offer him a chance to write another chapter in the story that began a decade ago in Manchester. Amorim, on the other hand, was sacked five months into last season, took over at AC Milan this summer and is looking to end a winless pre-season with victory against his former employers.
In many ways, Carrick's progress in the role, acted out with a steely stoicism, has contrasted with the drama that surrounded Amorim's spell at Old Trafford. Rashford's return to the fold adds another layer of intrigue as Amorim felt he had to move him on after publicly questioning the England international's attitude on several occasions. United's pre-season meeting with AC Milan on Saturday feels less like a friendly and more like the continuation of a soap opera.
As such, the pre-season finale for both sides provides a perfect opportunity to reflect on the year and how United navigated their midseason recasting to kick-start a promising new era. Here are three things Carrick has changed since Amorim's dismissal... Amorim's unwillingness to adapt was the indelible stain of his tenure at Old Trafford.
Tasked with turning the tide of results at Old Trafford, the Portuguese installed a shape he knew and loved. Amid scrutiny, Amorim famously told reporters that not even the Pope could convince him to change his 3-4-3, which eventually led to his downfall. As the squad's numbers were reduced for the Africa Cup of Nations, he couldn't find a solution to maintain results.
There were signs of some adaptation towards the end of his time in charge but Amorim ultimately reverted to type, which was the reported root of the angst between him and the United hierarchy. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player There was friction between the direction Amorim was taking the team and what United fans wanted to see. Though United were among the free-scoring sides in the division in spells under Amorim, the three-at-the-back formation was a far cry from what fans were accustomed to and were willing to tolerate in the long term.
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