Manchester United's interim manager Michael Carrick has been handed a stern warning ahead of his daunting first game back in charge, with former defender Paul Parker predicting two key players could be brutally "exposed" by Manchester City.
Full-Back Fears for Old Trafford Clash
Carrick is set for a severe test in his Premier League dugout return, as his side host the reigning champions at Old Trafford in Saturday's lunchtime kick-off on January 16, 2026. The ex-United midfielder is anticipated to abandon the 3-4-3 system used under the sacked Ruben Amorim, instead deploying a back four similar to caretaker Darren Fletcher's recent setup.
While Carrick favoured an attacking, possession-based 4-2-3-1 formation during his tenure at Middlesbrough, Parker believes this approach could leave specific United defenders dangerously vulnerable against Pep Guardiola's in-form attacking unit.
Pace Problem Against Doku and Semenyo
Speaking to Metro via online casinos UK, Parker pinpointed the full-back positions as a critical area of concern. He stated that Diogo Dalot and Luke Shaw are likely to "struggle pace-wise" against the blistering speed of City's wingers, Jeremy Doku and Antoine Semenyo.
"You don't have to be an ex-full-back... you know that the full-backs that United have got are going to struggle," Parker explained. "Because there's no, at this moment, out-and-out defender there, you know they're going to get exposed in one-against-ones."
He elaborated that the potential for vast spaces to exploit behind United's defence represents a "massive problem," leaving him unsure how Carrick will devise a plan to counter it.
Mazraoui Absence a Major Blow
The situation is compounded by the absence of Noussair Mazraoui. The Moroccan, who has been United's most defensively reliable full-back since arriving from Bayern Munich, is away at the AFCON final.
Parker emphasised this loss, particularly for containing Jeremy Doku. "Mazraoui at left-back would be even more perfect up against Doku," he said. "I get groin strains just watching him play... That's one I wouldn't want to play against."
Despite the formidable challenge and key absentee, Parker urged Carrick to focus on instilling confidence and a clear method in his team, rather than simply playing for a draw. "It's about some kind of performance that gets the players to express themselves," he concluded.
