Manchester United aims for a third consecutive win with Carrick unveiling new tactics! Revealed the secret to suppressing Arsenal, with the assistant coach playing a crucial role.

Ruben Amorin took an entire year to secure consecutive Premier League victories at Manchester United, but Carrick accomplished this feat in under two weeks, against the league leaders Manchester City and Arsenal. Now, he has the opportunity to equal Amorin’s record of three straight wins after 47 matches, when the Red Devils overcame Sunderland, Liverpool, and Brighton.

The current test standing between Carrick and Manchester United is Fulham, managed by Marco Silva, another Premier League team in good form. The "Cottagers" sit just four points behind Manchester United in 7th place, having achieved 6 wins, 2 draws, and 2 losses in their last 10 matches, including victories over Chelsea and a draw with Liverpool.

Manchester United’s last two matches against Fulham ended in 1-1 draws, and although they managed to win both encounters last season, the victories were hard-fought. Fulham is the team Manchester United fears most this season; they might adopt a compact defensive approach and counterattack, playing a similar role to what the Red Devils faced against Manchester City and Arsenal.

Therefore, Carrick will need to deploy new tactics for this match and also address the problem caused by the absence of the in-form left winger Patrick Doğu due to injury. A win over Fulham would boost Manchester United’s confidence, proving they can overcome their attacking challenges.

Manchester United fans have reason to be cautiously optimistic because Carrick demonstrated an ideal level of performance against Manchester City and Arsenal. Although the starting lineup appeared similar, the tactical details differed. Against Arsenal, Carrick focused on the central areas, while against Manchester City, he targeted their wings aggressively.

You might dismiss Arsenal’s set-piece tactics as predictable, and the Gunners are indeed foreseeable, but there is no doubt that Arteta’s team excels at what they do, and their top position in the Premier League is no accident.

Against Arsenal, Carrick positioned wingers Amad Diallo and Doğu on the flanks to restrict both sides, preventing Arsenal from exploiting the width of the pitch. Both players have experience as wing-backs, making them adept at executing this role.

With their interference, Casemiro and Coby Meno held the central area, cutting off Arsenal’s attempts. Interestingly, they didn’t even have to make a single tackle.

According to British media, Manchester United assistant coach Steve Holland has had a significant tactical influence. Having grown up watching games from the West Stand at Old Trafford, he collaborated with Carrick to devise a strategy that pins Arsenal’s formation inward, stretching it into a horseshoe shape, which greatly relieved pressure on Casemiro and Meno in the middle.

In Carrick’s second season at Middlesbrough, the team’s performance steadily declined, especially with more points dropped while leading than any other team, which is rare in the Championship. Some key figures advised him to hire an experienced assistant to help with match decisions. Carrick declined and kept his brother Graeme, who had coaching experience at Newcastle United’s youth academy.

Sources believe that in the long run, this was detrimental to Carrick. When Manchester United brought in the experienced Holland to join the coaching staff, Carrick accepted the arrangement, indicating he reflected on a major past issue.

Now, Carrick, Holland, and Jonathan Woodgate have clear plans and combinations for both offense and defense.

Manchester United full-backs Luke Shaw and Diogo Dalot make runs on the outside, forcing Arsenal’s wingers to track them, which creates a numerical advantage for the Red Devils’ midfield.

The 21-year-old Doğu thrives in the new system, leveraging his stamina and physicality while masking technical weaknesses, transforming from a rough player into a Gareth Bale-like figure.

One major advantage of Doğu playing as a winger is his defensive contribution, dropping back to provide double coverage, allowing Luke Shaw to confidently engage in one-on-one defense against Saka on the flank.

Coby Meno, who was sidelined under Amorin, is also able to showcase his strengths by making short passes in open spaces, delivering the ball to Bruno Fernandes, Doğu, Mbemo, and Amad.

Manchester United players create space in front of the box through active movement; the stunning goals by Doğu and Cunha are not mere luck. Compared to the confusion under Amorin’s tight pressing, the players now enjoy greater freedom, and it’s not only Meno who has been liberated.

Mbemo, Amad, and Bruno Fernandes are very effective on the right side. Bruno draws the attention of Arsenal’s center-back Saliba, while Amad and Mbemo gain opportunities to receive the ball in threatening areas. As a result, Arsenal’s defense falls into genuine disarray during United’s attacks. Subi Mendy’s own goal was a consequence of Arsenal being forced into a zone they wanted to avoid.

Even after substitutions with Sheshko and Cunha, Manchester United’s coordination remained unaffected. Sheshko’s movement dragged defenders away, creating space for Cunha’s winning long-range shot. The €85 million striker Sheshko now has the chance to make a bigger impact in the attack.

After both matches, Carrick embraced Sheshko, showing his trust in him. It is said that Sheshko has developed a close relationship with Dalot, as he greatly admires the Portuguese right-back’s fitness regimen, which was inspired by Cristiano Ronaldo. British media revealed that they compete daily to be the first to arrive at the Carrington training ground, where they use the hyperbaric oxygen chamber and recently upgraded facilities for extra training before joining the full team sessions.