Interim Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has openly discussed the significant risk he took with defender Harry Maguire's fitness, a decision that proved crucial in his side's commanding 2-0 victory over rivals Manchester City.
The Gamble on Maguire's Fitness
Carrick, taking charge of his first game since replacing the sacked Ruben Amorim, made the bold call to include Harry Maguire in the starting lineup for the Premier League clash on Saturday afternoon. This was a major surprise given the former captain's recent injury struggles.
Maguire had missed United's previous ten matches with a hamstring problem, making only a brief substitute appearance in the FA Cup defeat to Brighton the weekend prior. His last start for the club was in early November against Tottenham.
Despite having trained for just two or three days after an eight-to-nine-week layoff, Carrick felt the high-pressure derby demanded experience. "I felt it was a game for experience and knowing what it feels like," Carrick explained post-match. "It was a big ask of H [Maguire] and credit to him."
A Defensive Foundation for Victory
The gamble paid off spectacularly. Maguire played the full 90 minutes, forming a resolute partnership with Lisandro Martinez at the heart of United's defence. The duo effectively nullified the threat of City's star striker Erling Haaland, who failed to register a single shot on target before being substituted after 80 minutes.
"Licha [Martinez] and Harry they were a block really and they gave us a foundation," Carrick said, praising the defensive pair. "I thought between him and Licha they were so solid at the back and they could give us a foundation to build up."
This defensive solidity allowed United to produce arguably their best performance of the season. They dominated the match at Old Trafford, sealing a 2-0 win with goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Andrea Dorgu, and also hit the woodwork twice while having two further goals disallowed for offside.
Fernandes Flourishes in Advanced Role
Another key tactical success was the redeployment of Bruno Fernandes. Restored to his favoured advanced number ten role behind the striker—having spent much of the season in central midfield under Amorim—the Portuguese playmaker delivered a sublime performance.
"I've spoken to Bruno. I've known him a long time and I thought he was fantastic the way he played the position," Carrick noted. "He's so clever the way he takes up spaces. He had a big disciplined role with Bryan [Mbeumo] defensively to protect the team."
The victory, which also featured electric attacking contributions from Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo, provides a perfect start to Carrick's interim tenure and offers United fans a much-needed boost after a turbulent period.
Reflecting on Maguire's pivotal role, Carrick admitted the decision was not without its perils. "I'm not going to lie, it was a bit of a calculated gamble with how long he could play," he confessed. "Just shows you what it means to him and I thought he was fantastic."
