The simple fix to one big Man United concern raised by Rooney and Berbatov after derby defeat

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After the Manchester Derby, Dimitar Berbatov, on punditry duties for the Premier League matchday, admitted:

“United lost the game, which automatically means they did not do enough.

“They hit the post here and there, and had chances here and there, but they were not threatening enough. They did not do enough to threaten the class of [Gianluigi] Donnarumma.”

Interestingly, Wayne Rooney, on BBC Match of the Day, raised the same concern:

“You were just waiting for someone to be brought on and make an impact today, but you looked at the bench and there were not many attacking threats to call on. It was all a bit toothless.”

Attack, a source of concern

Three games into the season, Manchester United’s point of strength last season—the attack—is, as the two pundits clearly point out, now emerging as a source of concern, and Michael Carrick bears partial blame for it.

Simplicity underpinned United’s resurgence under Carrick last season. Simple decisions, such as playing Bruno Fernandes as a number 10, introducing Mainoo at central midfield, and reverting to a back four, provided the ingredients for the brilliant run that saw the Red Devils turn things around and finish third in the league table.

Looking at United’s strongest line-up at the end of the season, it was obvious that replacing Casemiro at the centre of the park, and possibly finding cover for Luke Shaw, was what was needed. In Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos, and Carlos Baleba, United have surely found different ways to replace the Brazilian veteran.

Cover for Shaw was never pursued, though that is a different topic altogether.

Carrick already knows Man United’s strongest attack

Patrick Dorgu or Matheus Cunha on the left, Benjamin Sesko as the centre-forward, and Bryan Mbeumo or Amad on the right, formed the Red Devils’ strongest attack.

Sesko duly proved himself in front of goal, with 10 of his 11 goals arriving in the second half of the season. Such a record surely marks him as a player who, if match-fit, should be on the pitch.

Yet, even after three cameo appearances and one start to build his match fitness following a pre-season absence, Carrick still does not trust the striker with a starting role. He instead persists with Cunha as a false nine, a tactic that, three league games in, has not paid off.

The Samba star clearly does not lead the line well, and both the aesthetics and the numbers back this up.

Start Sesko, change Cunha’s role

Carrick found him a role on United’s left-hand side of attack last season, and he thrived there. Why complicate matters and insist on playing Cunha in a role in which he clearly is not impactful?

Whenever the Brazilian plays up top, the Red Devils lack a focal point. This was evident on matchday one, when United attempted 39 crosses yet failed to register a single headed shot on target.

Defenders, too, are never put under pressure, with Cunha dropping into midfield and leaving his position vacant. He then goes on to occupy spaces Bruno Fernandes should occupy, forcing the United skipper to drift elsewhere and, as a result, blunting his threat in the number 10 role.

Little wonder, then, that some fans continue to point out the lack of balance in United’s attacking play.

This derby defeat should certainly mark the last time Carrick relies on a false nine tactic. He should instead be bold enough to start Sesko up front, giving his team the presence it craves.

That said, as simply as introducing Sesko to the starting line-up, Carrick should be bold enough to let Marcus Rashford and Cunha battle for the left wing. The two should push each other perfectly, each doing their best to impress and outdo the other.

Against Fulham next weekend, for instance, it should be as simple as starting Sesko up top, Mbeumo on the right, and Rashford on the left.

And should Sesko not yet be trusted, Joshua Zirkzee, who featured prominently in pre-season, should be tried as a false nine. He may well prove the better option, given what United saw against Sabah FK.