For the third time in less than 10 months, Manchester United have been beaten by opponents reduced to 10 men before half-time. While the arguments raging around the 1-0 home defeat by Manchester City have centred around the official apology from Pro Ref to United for what they say was "an error of judgement" around Erling Haaland's matchwinner, the inquest will go much deeper at the club's Carrington training ground. After pushing back on the idea four points from three games wasn't a great start at Everton last weekend, head coach Michael Carrick now accepts "there is no getting away" from the fact four points from four games is below expectations.
One win, at home to newly-promoted Ipswich, means so many questions - around recruitment, team selection, substitutions, tactics and Carrick himself - will now start to be asked ahead of a huge week. "We don't need a break or a restart," said Carrick. "We've just got to move on and get winning again." United entertain Brighton in the Carabao Cup on 16 September, before a trip to Fulham four days later.
If nothing else, Carrick needs his side to deliver to prevent a new three-week international break being filled with external inquests around what is going wrong at Old Trafford. Speaking in his press conference after the game, new City boss Enzo Maresca accepted Phil Foden's red card made the game more difficult for his side. However, he also highlighted why he knew it would also be a problem for United.
"They are a team that loves transitions and space in behind," he said. "With 10 players, we just dropped and waited for them, so we didn't concede any transitions and didn't concede any space in behind. That is why the game became more difficult for us and for them." United have been more effective as a counter-attacking team since Jose Mourinho arrived at the club over a decade ago.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wanted to change it, but never quite got there. The same, to an extent, is true of Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim, both of whom came to United after achieving success in a domestic league where their side dominated the opposition. As a player, Carrick liked to get on the ball and not give it away.
It is fair to assume that is what he wants from his players. Keeping the ball is one thing. Having the vision and skill to keep possession and create chances against opponents quite prepared to sit in, deny space and keep their shape is another.
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