Carrick's Impact At Manchester United Praised By Fernandes After Tottenham Victory

Bruno Fernandes says Michael Carrick has brought "something special" to Manchester United after a 2-0 win against Tottenham extended a strong Premier League run. Carrick’s side recorded a fourth straight league victory, leaving Old Trafford with eight matches unbeaten and their longest top-flight winning streak since February 2024, strengthening confidence within the squad and among supporters.

The match also marked a personal milestone for Fernandes, who reached 200 goal involvements for United in his 314th appearance in all competitions. That placed Fernandes among the club’s most productive players of the Premier League era, underlining the influence the midfielder continues to hold during Carrick’s spell in charge.

Cristian Romero’s red card

shifted the contest early, after a high challenge on Casemiro in the 29th minute. With Tottenham reduced to ten players, Manchester United controlled possession more comfortably, using the advantage to press higher and stretch the visitors, which eventually opened space in wide areas and around the penalty area.

The breakthrough arrived from a rehearsed set piece rather than open play. A short corner routine caught Tottenham unprepared, and Bryan Mbeumo finished the move before half-time to put Manchester United ahead. In the second half, Diogo Dalot delivered a precise cross which Fernandes guided into the bottom-right corner, sealing the result.

After the match, Fernandes highlighted how Carrick’s approach has changed the team’s mood and structure. Speaking to TNT Sports, Fernandes said: "This is football. It changes from one game to another. Carrick came in with the right ideas, giving the players the responsibility and freedom on the pitch, he told TNT Sports. It's very good. I was sure he would be a great manager and he is showing it. We hope we can help him even more. Everyone understands the pressure of playing for this club, everyone knows the expectations around it. He knows what it means for this club to win. It adds something special to the team. We have had moments where we were not great but the crowd was still like this. The energy is different because we win, everything looks brighter. "

That sense of renewed belief has been reflected in Manchester United’s results under Michael Carrick. The club had not managed an eight-match unbeaten league sequence since February 2022, yet now looks more composed, with players embracing increased tactical responsibility and freedom on the ball, something Fernandes credits directly to Carrick and the coaching staff.

Fernandes’ latest goal also pushed the midfielder into elite company for Manchester United in the Premier League era. Opta data highlighted how quickly Fernandes has amassed 200 goal involvements compared with several club greats, placing the Portugal international among the most decisive modern players at Old Trafford.

Player	Games to 200 goal involvements	Goals	Assists
Wayne Rooney	295	133	67
Bruno Fernandes	314	104	96
Cristiano Ronaldo	339	144	56
David Beckham	393	85	115
Ryan Giggs	424	90	111
Paul Scholes	564	138	62

200Games taken to reach 200 goal involvements for Man Utd in the Premier League era: 295Wayne Rooney (133G, 67A) 314Bruno Fernandes (104G, 96A) 339Cristiano Ronaldo (144G, 56A) 393David Beckham (85G, 115A) 424Ryan Giggs (90G, 111A) 564Paul Scholes (138G, pic.twitter.com/vjX3JxaBJsOptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 7, 2026

Fernandes also spoke to the BBC about mentality and the demands of sustaining Manchester United’s form under Michael Carrick. Fernandes said: "It is very important for us to maintain the focus and not overdo it now. This is very good and very nice but we need to keep going. If you don't win the next one and the next one you will get back into the same place where you don't feel comfortable, you lose confidence and struggle to believe in everything you have been doing until now. We have been doing very well until now to do everything that Michael and the staff have been asking of us, and we have been very brave taking responsibility in some moments in the game to go and play and do whatever you need to do to win the game. The main focus is the next game.It's four wins in a row.This one is nice, but we need to make it five now. "

The Tottenham victory underlined how Bruno Fernandes and Michael Carrick are shaping Manchester United’s current direction, mixing tactical structure with greater freedom in attack. With four straight league wins and key players producing consistent numbers, focus within the squad now turns to extending the sequence and protecting confidence built during this unbeaten run.