Manchester United's rising star transforms into the team's top runner! Carrick shifts player mentality, humbly urging the entire squad to maintain consistency.

In the last two years, Manchester United encountered many difficulties. Central among these was the question of what kind of team the Red Devils ought to be. The empire once ruled by Sir Alex Ferguson has vanished, and the club now needs to work hard to rediscover its direction.

The British saying goes: one swallow does not make a summer. Carrick’s initial wins against Manchester City and Arsenal don’t guarantee that Manchester United has bounced back. Both Carrick and the fans learned valuable lessons from the Solskjaer era. Yet, the way the new manager defeated City and Arsenal suggests the team has regained something that supporters feared was lost forever.

The concept of Manchester United’s DNA is often mentioned and frequently mocked, but Carrick and his coaching staff have at least allowed the team to reconnect with this essence in their first two matches. United demonstrated they can suppress a strong side like Manchester City and also come from behind to win against Arsenal.

On Sunday at the Emirates Stadium, Manchester United took longer to find their rhythm. Arsenal, who have finished as runners-up for three consecutive seasons, have built a strong system under manager Arteta, especially excelling at scoring from set pieces.

After Lisandro Martínez accidentally scored an own goal in the 29th minute, the match seemed to slip into Arsenal’s control. This season, Arsenal is stronger than most teams in the Premier League. Once ahead, they can strike quickly on counterattacks or aggressively extend their lead through set pieces.

However, Manchester United remained unshaken despite being at a disadvantage, with players refusing to give up. Data shows that 20-year-old academy starlet Cody Meno, who was sidelined under Ruben Amorim, covered the most distance in both matches against Manchester City and Arsenal under Carrick’s coaching. Official figures state Meno ran 11.3 kilometers against Arsenal and 12 kilometers versus City, with 7.9 kilometers covered when United did not have possession.

If the usually lethargic Meno showed such effort, the rest of the Manchester United players naturally gave their all. Mbemou capitalized on an error from Arsenal midfielder Soubi Mendy’s back pass, dribbled past goalkeeper David Raya, and scored into an empty net with his weaker right foot.

After equalizing, Manchester United showed even greater fighting spirit in the second half. Defensively, players bravely blocked shots with their bodies; offensively, they moved actively and combined well. Carrick and his coaching team have been in charge for less than two weeks, yet the squad has already displayed a renewed determination to perform the thankless tasks and creatively generate more threats.

Carrick’s Manchester United, for now, resembles the team of the past more closely. This is evident not only in visible actions like tackles and shots but also in spirit and attitude. Even after Merino equalized for Arsenal in the 84th minute, United did not lose focus. Instead, they produced something surprising to all viewers, including those sitting on the Manchester United bench.

Patrick Dogu, who under his mentor Amorim had previously underperformed, now seems possessed by Bale’s spirit. Meanwhile, substitute Cunha, unlike Rashford or Martial, did not look frustrated; he contributed to goals in two consecutive matches off the bench. Carrick, much like the legendary former Chinese national coach Milu, tells his players that attitude is everything and football requires passion. This has brought confidence to the team.

“These two goals weren’t due to me,” Carrick said after the 3-2 victory over Arsenal. It’s easy to become complacent after consecutive wins, but since competing with Solskjaer for the job, Carrick has maintained a humble image. He wants Manchester United players to appear stronger and better prepared for future challenges.

Next Sunday’s match against Fulham will present a different kind of test. In the past, when Manchester United defeated strong teams, the players often appeared complacent and lacked fighting spirit and creativity in matches where they clearly dominated.

This time, can they capitalize on their advantage on the field? “The team has a clear focus,” Carrick said regarding the remaining 15 Premier League games this season. “Everything is clearly laid out before us, with no uncertainties. This is a good start, but you need to keep building.”

Now, with consecutive wins over the Premier League’s top two, Manchester United is in a more positive position. The next challenge is to prove they can complete the tasks in matches they are expected to win. The current top-four standing means little; this season Sunderland, Crystal Palace, and Brentford all held impressive positions but have since dropped to 10th, 15th, and 8th respectively. However, there are successful examples too—Emery’s Aston Villa currently sits third, eight points ahead of Manchester United.