Carrick reveals the creative origin behind Manchester United’s corner routine! Mbemou missed in training but changed his technique during the game.

Facing a Spurs side reduced to ten men, Manchester United broke the deadlock within minutes, mainly thanks to an inventive corner routine. Center-back Maguire attracted defenders inside the box by feigning a challenge, while captain Bruno Fernandes passed to Koby Meno at the box’s edge. Meno then played it back to Mbemou at the arc, who, left unmarked, cleverly scored in the lower right corner.

Spurs are known as one of the Premier League’s best teams at attacking from corners, yet this time Manchester United’s tactic left their defense wide open, especially after center-back Cristian Romero was sent off, leaving the top of the box completely unguarded and allowing United’s corner design to succeed flawlessly.

On the sidelines, Carrick watched the goal and gave a meaningful smile towards the coaching bench before raising his arms in celebration. After the match, he revealed he was acknowledging the mastermind behind the idea—the assistant coach Jonny Evans.

“Yes, it was Jonny (Evans) who came up with it, focusing on set pieces, and the analysts played a big role too. Of course, Bruno (Fernandes), Koby (Meno), and Bryan (Mbemou) executed it perfectly, and I’m very pleased about that,” Carrick said.

Carrick admitted that United had practiced this routine during the week: “We worked on it in training; that was essential. Jonny’s creativity combined with the analysts’ data, plus flawless execution, led to this goal. I wouldn’t say Jonny is specifically the set-piece coach, but he pays close attention to that area, as do all of us. Jonny has been working hard with the players in training, so I’m very happy to see this result now.”

However, Carrick emphasized that Manchester United have a variety of ways to score goals beyond just set pieces. “We have different tactical plans for every match, as all teams do. When you see a strategy succeed so well and produce such a crucial opening goal, it really shows the value of preparation.”

The goal scorer Mbemou exclaimed, “This was a perfect set piece! The goal came from practice on the training ground. To be honest, I didn’t score during training—I actually kicked it over the bar! So today, I changed my shooting technique. The match is what really matters, and I’m happy to have scored.”

The £71 million winger then confirmed the team’s upcoming objectives: “We will strive to qualify for European competitions and aim to achieve the highest possible league position.”

Carrick also praised the team’s ability to capitalize on their numerical advantage after Spurs were reduced to ten men. “Sometimes, playing against ten can be tricky. I felt the first half was quite tight at times, but we showed strong threat from the start, and I’m satisfied. There are still some issues to fix; Spurs played well in the first half, and we identified areas for improvement.”

Carrick continued his analysis: “Leading by one goal while having a numerical advantage gave us a solid foundation. The team maintained control in the second half. I was hoping for another goal, and once that came, we were in a very strong position. I could give some young players game time, and Tyler (Fletcher) made his debut. Overall, it was a very positive day.”

But Carrick stressed that he has not yet thought about securing a permanent position or the final league standing for Manchester United this season. “No, it’s not the time yet. As fans, you can get overly excited—that’s why you support us, for the dreams and passion. We hope to leave happy and look forward to coming back. Providing that experience is our responsibility, and it’s been great to do so over the past weeks. We must keep this up,” he said. “I feel good and quite calm. We’re currently in a favorable position, but we will keep pushing and won’t settle. I always stress not to take things for granted, and so far, the players have done very well.”