Analysis of United’s Recent Performance and Squad Dynamics

omidbasir- Sesko has gradually begun to justify his £74 million ($101m) transfer fee with his deft flick into the West Ham net. It’s high time for the Slovenian international to receive a starting position. As United’s most significant signing from last summer, he has encountered some initial difficulties transitioning from the Bundesliga to the Premier League. Nevertheless, he has scored five goals since the start of the year, with four league goals—including a brace against Burnley, a last-minute winner against Fulham, and a dramatic equalizer in London—contributing four crucial points to the team.

Under Carrick, Sesko has played just over 60 minutes out of a possible 450, yet he has been instrumental in securing results twice in three matches. During a challenging first half and the early stages of the second, United lacked a target man to convert crosses, leading Carrick to acknowledge that he should have introduced Sesko sooner, eventually bringing him on in the 69th minute.

As United prepares for their next match against Everton, they will face a similar defensive challenge as they did against West Ham. Thus, it is essential for Sesko to start, providing the team with a viable outlet against an opponent likely to adopt a deep defensive stance.

Interestingly, both Ruben Amorim and Carrick appear to share a tactical affinity for performing better with less possession. Over the past month, United has triumphed over Manchester City with just 32% possession, defeated Arsenal with 44%, and overcame Fulham with a mere 42%, despite expectations that Fulham would adopt a defensive posture.

While United dominated possession against Tottenham with 65%—benefitting from playing with an extra man for over an hour—they struggled against West Ham, where a similar possession percentage yielded little effectiveness.

Upcoming fixtures against Everton and Crystal Palace will likely pose challenges greater than those presented by top-five rivals, as opposing teams will closely analyze United’s strategies. Carrick’s previous tenure at Middlesbrough deteriorated when his team became overly predictable in possession; he must ensure that United does not face the same fate.

The abrupt end to United’s winning streak at West Ham raised questions, particularly given that West Ham was the lowest-ranked team faced under Carrick. With only two full days between their victory against Tottenham and the match in London, Carrick opted for an unchanged starting lineup, which may have left several players physically and mentally fatigued.

Carrick has effectively utilized the absence of European competitions to focus on preparation and recovery. However, if he aims to guide United back into the Champions League or Europa League, both he and any future permanent manager must embrace squad rotation.

United has sufficient time to recuperate from their exertions in London, yet they will soon confront another tight schedule, with only three days separating their home match against Crystal Palace from an away fixture at Newcastle. Carrick must enhance his team’s preparedness for this upcoming challenge.

As United approached their match against West Ham, reports surfaced regarding a potential new contract for Harry Maguire. It is difficult to argue against retaining the defender, who serves as a strong example for younger players. When fit, he remains a top-tier center-back; however, his fitness has become increasingly unreliable. He was substituted in the second half at the London Stadium due to a possible hamstring issue.

Maguire has only recently returned from a two-month absence caused by a hamstring injury, which led to him missing nine games. Last season, he experienced two significant spells on the sidelines, resulting in the loss of another nine matches. In the current 2023-24 season, he has already missed the latter part of the previous season and the European Championship due to injuries.

Upon leaving the stadium, Maguire assured reporters that he was “okay,” but this statement did little to inspire confidence regarding a potential contract extension.

As the summer transfer window approaches, United’s primary focus will be on bolstering their midfield to replace Casemiro and deepen their options in the center. However, the West Ham match also highlighted the pressing need for one or two high-caliber full-backs.

Luke Shaw, despite his overall solid performance this season, made a crucial error that contributed to West Ham’s opening goal by Tomas Soucek. This misstep was unfortunate timing, considering Shaw’s consistent play after overcoming previous injury struggles.

Moreover, even aside from his failure to clear the ball, Shaw’s future at the club appears uncertain, with his contract expiring in 2027. A veteran of the squad, Shaw was brought to Old Trafford during Louis van Gaal’s first transfer window.

Diogo Dalot similarly struggled during the match, delivering a shaky first-half performance, though he did make an encouraging run that went unnoticed by Amad Diallo.