Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho reportedly stopped midfielder Michael Carrick from leaving Old Trafford over the summer.
Carrick was widely expected to leave United at the end of last season after former head coach Louis Van Gaal declined the opportunity to hand the midfielder a new deal.
However following Mourinho’s arrival the club in the summer Carrick was then offered a new one year contract by the Portuguese in which he signed back in June.
The 35-year-old has yet to start a league game for his new boss thus far but did make his first competitive appearance of the new campaign against Northampton on Wednesday night.
Carrick ran the show for United against the cobblers at sixfields and proved exactly why Mourinho had been so desperate to keep hold of the midfielder at the theatre of dreams. His eye catching goal combined with his ability to keep hold of the ball and move play forward was a timely reminder of what United have been missing so far this season and his outstanding performance midweek could have earned the midfielder a place in Mourinho’s starting eleven against Leicester City tomorrow.
Marouane Fellani has started the majority of United’s opening league games and has done more than a respectable job so far but he isn’t what United need. When on the ball Fellaini slows the play down, he isn’t able to keep possession of the ball for long periods of time nor is he able to split a defence wide open with a long range pass whereas Carrick can.
Should Carrick be handed a place back into the starting eleven one man who could benefit massively from his inclusion is Paul Pogba. The Frenchman has endured a difficult start since re-joining United but with Carrick alongside him it could finally hand Pogba the chance to push on further up the field and express himself.
Having Carrick in the side not only benefits Paul Pogba but benefits United’s other attacking talents. With Carrick dictating matters in the centre of the park it gives other players a boost in confidence knowing that the ball will be making its way to them and that he will not be giving away possession.
He is a class act and despite now been at the age of thirty five he remains one of the finest central midfielders around and should Mourinho name him in the starting eleven to face Leicester City tomorrow he could prove to be the significant different in United getting the three points.
