THE bigger concern for Michael Carrick at Newcastle has to be Manchester United’s performance, rather than their result.
Carrick seemed to acknowledge after the win at Everton last Monday that United’s performance level has gradually dipped of late and
United lost for the first time in the league since before ChristmasCredit: Getty
Carrick was unhappy with the United playersCredit: Getty
United peaked in Carrick’s first game back in charge against Manchester City and followed that up with a savvy win at .
They took their eye off the ball against Fulham but recovered and kept a terrible Tottenham at arm’s length.
Ever since United had the culture shock of a fixture three days after they last played, they have regressed.
The West Ham draw was unwatchable, so was most of the smash-and-grab win at Everton, United were all at sea for 45 minutes against ten-man Crystal Palace and worse at ten-man .
has become worst-in-class for punditry and was unbecoming of a 51-year-old former professional.
No doubt interest in the ex-United player clan’s pub-talk podcasts has dwindled amid their recent winning run.
But Scholes’ verdict that United have been “c**p” in their past four games is not entirely inaccurate.
United aspire to play at least ten more matches in Europe next season yet the form book would suggest they cannot cope if one of their empty midweeks is filled.
In United’s five midweek matches this term, they have drawn with West Ham twice, drawn with Wolves, drawn with Burnley and lost at Newcastle.
United had enough starters at Newcastle – Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Kobbie Mainoo, Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes – to know what to expect on Tyneside.
Carrick reacts to United’s defeatCredit: Getty
Maguire could not stop OsulaCredit: Alamy
Maguire has just turned 33, first played at Newcastle in 2017 and his agent is the son of the late Toon chairman Freddy Shepherd.
Yet Maguire poked the bear with United’s false starts at goal kicks when he ought to have been responsible for crowd control. In the end, United were cowed.
Maguire lost his nerve for Will Osula’s goal, too. He did not have the pace to match the Dane.
Yet had he not hesitated, Maguire could have barged Osula into the Milburn Stand, accepted the yellow card, killed the counter-attack and prevented the winning goal.
Newcastle is a litmus test that United repeatedly fail. Since Newcastle returned to the Premier League in 2017, they have won six, drawn one and lost two at home to United.
Man Utd ratings vs Newcastle: Cunha gets back on track but Mbeumo still struggling after Afcon
MICHAEL CARRICK’S winning run as Manchester United head coach came to a bitter end at his old favourite stadium.
The Geordie boss seven-match unbeaten streak snapped as 10-man Newcastle snatched a dramatic 2-1 win at St James’ Park.
Casemiro’s header capped off a dramatic first-half stoppage time that saw Anthony Gordon score a penalty and Jacob Ramsey sent-off diving.
Bruno Fernandes clashed with Joelinton in the tunnel at the break, before tensions levelled in the second-half.
But super-sub Will Osula’s incredible curling finish won it for Eddie Howe’s side in the 90th minute.
Boyhood Geordie Carrick remains third in the table on goal difference and head into a 14 day break until hosting the Villans on March 15.
Here’s how
It speaks volumes of United that their last win in the north-east was during the Covid-19 pandemic in October 2020, with the Gallowgate and Laezes Stands completely empty.
Too many United players have gone off the boil over the past four weeks. At Newcastle, Bryan Mbeumo played into the home fans’ hands, Casemiro looked his age and Kobbie Mainoo was overawed by Newcastle’s midfield yet again.
Since United’s efficient win against ten-man Spurs on February 7, Fernandes is the only player who has shown a modicum of consistency. Even Fernandes was in slapdash form in the first halves against Newcastle and Crystal Palace.
Carrick was quietly furious at full-time. He strode onto the pitch to applaud the United fans up in the gods but deliberately did not acknowledge any of the players.
It was the earliest he had arrived for a post-match press conference and there were six questions.
Fernandes got another assist at NewcastleCredit: Getty
Mazraoui’s injury was costlyCredit: EPA
Malacia will be released in the summerCredit: Getty
Carrick contained his true feelings, as he usually does. During the game, he was genuinely angry and unloaded at the United players as they coasted through the first 20 minutes of the second half.
Carrick said that was down to “just the way the game was going. Emotions are part of the game. Certain things we wanted to do and we didn’t do it.
“I’m really, really disappointed with tonight, for different reasons. But we can’t lose sight of the position we’ve got ourselves in as well.
“As much as I’m disappointed – and we need to learn from it – because it’s been a lesson for us tonight in some ways.”
One lesson learnt is do not pick a ‘bomb squad’ member. The unsellable Tyrell Malacia has played ten times for United in two-and-a-half years and his contract is scheduled for the shredder in the summer.
Carrick’s hand was admittedly forced by injury to Noussair Mazraoui but the left-footed Ayden Heaven would have been a more athletic alternative to Malacia.
Malacia invited Osula inside for him to lash in his wonderful winning goal.
United actually paraded a left back on the Old Trafford turf back in August. Diego Leon, 18, has not had a kick in the first team and looked out of his depth at the mundane level of the under-21s.
It was also curious that Carrick’s first changes at Newcastle were defensive-minded: Manuel Ugarte and Diogo Dalot.
In fairness, Casemiro was blowing and Luke Shaw, unwell at the weekend, was not fully match-fit.
But the go-to game-changer at 1-1 had to be Amad. He only emerged on 78 minutes and got on the ball a measly six times.
That has to be another concern for Carrick.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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