Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has revealed that Michael Carrick’s willingness to allow players the freedom to express themselves on the pitch is a key reason behind the Red Devils’ recent upturn in form.
On Saturday, United recorded their fourth consecutive win since Carrick took over as interim manager, beating 10-man Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 at Old Trafford courtesy of goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Fernandes himself.
Prior to beating Tottenham, United had also taken all three points against Fulham, league leaders Arsenal and local rivals Manchester City. While the results were impressive, their performances in those games are what stood out for many.
In these four games under Carrick, the Red Devils have looked a completely different side to the one that struggled to compete against other teams under Ruben Amorim, and Fernandes believes the team is benefiting from a newfound freedom of expression.
“I think Michael came in with the right ideas of giving the players the responsibility, but also some freedom to take the responsibility on the pitch during the decisions that are needed,” Fernandes told TNT Sports after the win over Spurs.
“He’s very good with the words, and I think he still remembers when I told him last time he was our manager, for our last game, and I was sure Michael could be a great manager, and now he is showing it.
“We hope we can help him even more so everyone can see, not just us as the players, that we are good players and that is why we are at Manchester United, but also the staff is very good.”
Fernandes, one of the players greatly benefitting from Carrick’s arrival, now operates higher up the pitch where he is able to influence play in the final third with greater freedom and confidence.
Another major beneficiary is Kobbie Mainoo, who barely even made it onto the pitch during Amorim’s tenure. The young midfielder has started all four games under Carrick, and he’s just been such an absolute joy to watch.
Carrick’s primary charge is to qualify Manchester United for next season’s UEFA Champions League, and as things stand, the Red Devils, currently sitting in fourth place on the Premier League table, are well on course to achieve that objective.
