Staff thoughts on the latest victory for Michael Carrick and Manchester United.
Suwaid: More of the Same but Better
There wasn’t a lot riding in that game for either team, which made it one of the most entertaining games of the season. Bryan Mbeumo could’ve got a hat-trick, and Bruno Fernandes should’ve broken the Premier League assist record, but it wasn’t to be.
United were worthy winners, and this kind of performance and result is preferable to a drab 1-0 win, but it’s fair to say that United won’t be able to sustain this going into
next season. Michael Carrick will need to add some control either through meticulous coaching or by bringing in players who can maintain the best aspects of the weekend’s game without the chaos at the other end.
It is said that Carrick’s Middlesbrough team were quite patient in their build-up, and it’ll be interesting to see if he switches things up a little going into next season with a pre-season or keeps this going with better players. My suggestion would be to double down on this with better players.
Colin: Unite the 8s
The match on Sunday featured two impressive midfielders wearing No. 8.
One, Bruno Fernandes, equalled a historic mark of 20 assists in a Premier League campaign. Whether playing criminally deep in midfield or in his preferred position at the heart of a 4-2-3-1 formation, Fernandes has produced this season.
The other, Elliot Anderson, created both goals for his team with 20 defensive contributions and a heat map that looked like a crowded archipelago. The 23-year-old has been a highly rated prospect for bigger clubs waiting to swoop in and pluck him from the ranks of an up-and-down Nottingham Forest side. It looks as though this summer will be the one where he makes his move elsewhere, and United are in pursuit.
The Blue half of Manchester has the funds, but the Red half took any signs of hope there may be on Sunday. Anderson’s helping up Kobbie Mainoo after a collision, words exchanged with Bruno Fernandes post-match, smiling at children asking him to move to Old Trafford in the parking lot afterward.
None of it is anywhere close to concrete evidence. Just a bit of fun. Nowhere near as much fun as it would be to see Anderson become a Red.
