Gary Neville says he has been ‘blown away’ by the ‘intensity, the compactness’ and ‘the aggression’ of Man United‘s performances under Michael Carrick.
Carrick claimed his second big victory is as many games after being installed as United’s head coach until the end of the season with a 3-2 away win over Premier League leaders Arsenal on Sunday.
The 44-year-old, who was sacked as Middlesbrough boss last June, took his side to the Emirates high on confidence after a stunning 2-0 derby win over local rivals Man City the weekend before.
And, after Matheus Cunha’s 87th-minute winner secured all three points for the Red Devils in north London, Neville admitted he couldn’t believe the ‘remarkable’ turnaround in United under his old team-mate.
‘There are a number of things that have changed,’ the former England international said on the Gary Neville Podcast.
‘The intensity, the compactness, the aggression of the defending, their willingness to get behind the ball together and be difficult to beat and dig in when you’re in difficult moments of the game. And there was more of that [against Arsenal] than there was against City.
Gary Neville says he is ‘blown away’ by Man United’s transformation under Michael Carrick
Matheus Cunha’s 87th-minute winner gave United all three points away to Arsenal on Sunday
The Red Devils beat Man City the previous weekend in what was Carrick’s first match in charge
‘I thought they played better football against City, but they were always going to have to dig in [at Arsenal] more.’
‘But the big thing for me is that they’ve got a threat up front,’ Neville added. ‘They’ve got a group of players who are talented up front, who are also getting back and helping their defenders, who are digging in.’
The former United captain also heaped praise on Carrick for instilling a ‘simplicity’ to the team that had been lost under sacked boss Ruben Amorim, who was wedded to his 3-4-2-1 formation in his 14 months in charge.
Under Carrick, United have returned to a 4-2-3-1 system that appears to have freed up their attack and has seen them score five times in two games against the Premier League’s top two sides.
‘He’s definitely instilled a simplicity to it in the last two weeks, in the last two games, that I like about it,’ Neville continued.
‘[The 4-2-3-1] is my favourite system. We’ve talked about it a lot, the idea of a talented player playing off a striker, two wide players narrowing in midfield, a back four that’s really aggressive. It’s been a huge turn.’
While Neville admitted he’s not going to get ‘carried away’ by the two impressive wins, he insisted Carrick and the United players deserve ‘enormous credit’ for bringing the ‘magic’ back to Old Trafford.
The Sky Sports pundit also tipped the resurgent Reds to qualify for next season’s Champions League, after Sunday’s victory ensured they remain in fourth place in the Premier League.
Neville praised Carrick and his United players for bringing the ‘magic’ back to Old Trafford
Neville also praised Carrick restoring ‘simplicity’ back to United after Ruben Amorim’s sacking
And, he hinted, the return of United’s attacking football – after a long absence under Amorim – was why club legends had been so critical of the side’s performances this season.
‘That’s why a number of players that commentate on Manchester United have been so angry in this last five or six weeks,’ he explained. ‘
‘Because of the likes of Everton, Wolves, West Ham, Bournemouth, Burnley and Leeds, six teams that have been really struggling apart from Leeds maybe, and only five points were picked up in those games again out of the 18.
‘And in a lot of those games where Manchester United had opportunities to go into the top four. We’re like, ‘go on’, and they didn’t, and now they’ve done it because I genuinely believe there is a feeling that they are better than what they’ve shown.
‘And they’ve proved it in these last two games, they have really proved that they can get compact, they can stay together, be aggressive in their shape, can spring out of that shape and play good football and counter-attack and hurt teams, and they can score great goals and get bodies in the box.
‘It’s been thrilling to watch these last two matches, it really has, and it’s a remarkable turnaround.’
Neville’s praise of Carrick, however, is far more effusive than that of his former United team-mate and fellow pundit Roy Keane.
Keane insisted that, despite his old club’s win at the Emirates, United must go out and hire a ‘bigger and better manager’ than Carrick at the end of the season.
Former United captain Roy Keane has been less impressed with Carrick than Neville appears
‘You’re being silly now,’ Keane said on Sky Sports after Micah Richards suggested Carrick is the best bet to be the long-term successor to Amorim.
‘Two great performances but anyone can win two games. Even if they do get into fourth, I still wouldn’t be convinced he’s the man for the job. Absolutely not.
‘They need a bigger and better manager. But he has got the opportunity and what a chance for him, and you know what, he’s taking it.’
Keane has made no secret of his disapproval at the appointment of Carrick until the end of the season, questioning both the choice of coach as well as his backroom staff.
‘(I’m) concerned, concerned with the appointment and the staff that have come in, the manager. But I think I would be like that with most people at this stage of the season,’ Keane said before the win over City.
‘Looking at the group of players they have, it’s going to be a big ask. You look at Michael Carrick, whatever his remit was at Middlesbrough it was probably to get promoted, he didn’t do that. He failed there, but it doesn’t mean to say he’s a bad manager. It was a difficult job.
‘To get this opportunity, obviously it’s great for him but I look at the staff he’s brought in. We sit and talk about Manchester United every week being the best of the best, and at this moment in time I don’t see that. But even with the appointment and the staff, it doesn’t mean they can’t get results.
‘It’s a great opportunity for him and his staff but of course I’m concerned. I felt that about the previous manager.’
