Carrick's 'Sir Alex' playbook and a happy start at Man Utd

Michael Carrick’s first fortnight in permanent charge of Manchester United has ended with a sense of déjà vu around Old Trafford: a late, decisive goal, a point salvaged from apparent defeat, and a manager willing to roll the dice in the name of momentum. Benjamin Sesko’s 96th-minute finish at West Ham on Saturday extended United’s unbeaten league run to nine matches and maintained the club’s unlikely fourth place in the Premier League, a scenario few envisaged when Ruben Amorim was dismissed after the 4 January draw at Leeds.

The 1-1 result at London Stadium concluded a condensed block of fixtures for United, who, by virtue of early exits from both domestic cups, now face a 12-day competitive hiatus before travelling to Everton. Carrick, appointed on 13 January, views the pause as timely. “It’s a good chance for the squad to refresh, to let some of the lads clean up their niggles and strains, and take a bit of a breather,” he said.

United’s recent schedule has been anything but routine. Carrick’s opening victories over Manchester City and Arsenal jolted the table and shifted outside expectations, while hard-fought wins against Fulham and Tottenham steadied nerves inside the dressing room. The only blemish across five league matches under the new head coach remains Saturday’s draw, a statistic Carrick believes underlines progress. “To have just one draw in there is a big positive,” he noted. “We know how hard it is to put a run together in this league.”

Yet the manner of the point at West Ham carried as much weight as the tally itself. With United labouring in attack and trailing to a second-half strike, Carrick deviated from the conservative substitution pattern that characterised Amorim’s late reign. On 82 minutes he withdrew full-back Diogo Dalot for striker Joshua Zirkzee, re-shaping to a back three and pushing bodies forward in search of an equaliser. The gamble invited risk—Nuno Espírito Santo’s side had already led Chelsea 2-0 this month—but two last-ditch tackles by substitute defender Leny Yoro and a sharp stop from goalkeeper Senne Lammens kept United alive. Sesko, introduced earlier for the quiet Matheus Cunha, completed the rescue act with a curling finish deep into added time.

Post-match, Carrick praised his players’ refusal to accept defeat. “Sometimes it doesn’t quite happen, but it doesn’t mean you give up,” he said. “We went for it with three at the back and the rest all attacking to try and find that goal. That’s the way we should do it.” The sentiment echoed the Ferguson era, when United became synonymous with late drama. Carrick’s three previous fixtures under his tenure had already featured an 87th-minute winner against Arsenal and a 90th-minute decider versus Fulham; Sesko’s strike ensures the narrative persists.

United now sit fourth, cushioned by the stumbles of Chelsea and Liverpool, and buoyed by an unbeaten league streak stretching across three managerial reigns, beginning under interim Darren Fletcher. Thirteen points from a possible 15 represents an auspicious opening chapter for Carrick, yet bigger examinations await, starting with the visit to Goodison Park. For now, the squad will disperse, heal, and prepare, safe in the knowledge that their new manager is both willing and able to chase outcomes until the final whistle.