The Manchester United loss against newly promoted Hull City came as a shock to their supporters. Hull City won the match 2-0 to hand Michael Carrick’s team a defeat in their very first match of the season on Saturday, August 22.
The Manchester United loss was a result of some poor planning and insipid football. Hull City looked the sharper and more robust team in the first half, in which they scored two goals. It also exposed Carrick to some extent after his great run with the team last season.
Manchester United Loss Exposed Weaknesses in the Team
Carrick opted to play with Patrick Dorgu as the left-winger,whose only job was to get inside the box to try to connect with crosses played from the right flank. With only four goals in 48 matches for Manchester United, Dorgu is definitely not the attacking player Carrick wants him to be. He can be used as a back-up option for Luke Shaw, but certainly not as an attacking player.
Dorgu had to be replaced at half-time, but Man United’s woes did not end there. They played far too many crosses into the Hull penalty box, which made their attacks very predictable. If that was to be their strategy, then the decision to leave the 6 feet 5 inches tall Benjamin Sesko out of the starting XI was not understandable.
In the Manchester United loss on Saturday, there was hardly a move worth noting from the midfield. Youri Tielemans played a few long passes from the centre of the pitch in the first half, but that was about it. Andrey Santos offered almost nothing going forward and it did not help that United conceded two goals from set-pieces.
The Red Devils’ plight can be understood from the fact that Harry Maguire, their central defender, looked their most prominent attacking threat in the second half. Bryan Mbeumo was good in the first half and the majority of Manchester United’s atracks flowed through his side. However, in the second half, even his performance deteriorated. It doesn’t bode well for The Red Devils as pundits already have low expectations for this Premier League season.
Carrick Will Have to Get Things Right in the Next Match
Manchester United will take on Ipswich Town in their next match on Sunday, August 30. It should be an easy match against another promoted side, but the Red Devils’ performance has to improve for them to win.
Michael Carrick will have to put the Manchester United loss behind him and get the team selection right. He has to pick from between Marcus Rashford and Sesko to form his starting XI. As of now, it seems that he will start with Matheus Cunha on the left and Sesko as the No. 9. Rashford might have to come off the bench once again.
The Manchester United loss to Hull was an eye-opener for them. It now remains to be seen whether Carrick takes his lessons from it. This season, Man United will have to play in UEFA Champions League as well, which means that there will be more pressure on their players. In such a scenario, the Manchester United loss in the first match must have come as a jolt. However, Carrick will have to get his act together as soon as possible.
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