Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has dropped his two cents on the major test that Manchester United interim head coach Michael Carrick now faces against Fulham.
Michael Carrick has well and truly blown all expectations out of the water after his sensational start to life as Manchester United interim head coach this season.
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United defeated Manchester City 2-0 at Old Trafford in Carrick’s first match in charge at Old Trafford after the Red Devils sacked Ruben Amorim earlier this month.
The Red Devils then followed up their performance against Manchester City with another sensational – and massive – result at the Emirates last weekend.
Man Utd beat Arsenal 3-2 in a Premier League comeback victory and Carrick’s men strengthened their position to mount a top-four challenge in the 2025-26 season.
Paul Merson on Michael Carrick vs Ruben Amorim ahead of the Man Utd vs Fulham match at Old Trafford
Michael Carrick has been widely praised for his immediate impact after Ineos and Sir Jim Ratcliffe brought the 44-year-old Manchester United legend back to Old Trafford.
Man Utd are now fourth in the Premier League table and the Red Devils are a point clear of fifth-place Chelsea and two points clear of sixth-place Liverpool.
Speaking in his column for Sportskeeda, Paul Merson believes that Carrick is now in a similar situation as Ruben Amorim over what people expect next from Man Utd.
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“This is the game for Michael Carrick,” he said.
“Manchester City at home and Arsenal away, no-one expected Manchester United to do anything.
“But now, everyone will turn up to Old Trafford expecting a win over Fulham!
“We saw this with Ruben Amorim at times. He would do well in some of the big games and then lose to the so-called smaller teams.
“Will Carrick be able to buck the trend?”
Paul Merson spotlights the Patrick Dorgu challenge that Michael Carrick faces amid his Man Utd vs Fulham prediction
United legend Carrick will be without the in-form Patrick Dorgu after the 21-year-old Danish wing-back suffered a hamstring injury in Man Utd’s 3-2 win over Arsenal.
Patrick Dorgu was forced off the pitch late in the second half at the Emirates last Sunday and the Denmark international could be ruled out for a number of weeks.
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Merson thinks that Carrick’s need to replace Dorgu – likely to be with Matheus Cunha – is the only change that the interim head coach will make to his team.
“Patrick Dorgu is out injured and will have to be replaced,” he added.
“Otherwise, I don’t think Carrick will change anything for this clash.
“This will be a hard game for United and I don’t buy it when people say they’ll win for sure because they beat City and Arsenal.”
Arsenal legend Merson has backed United to secure all three Premier League points against Fulham and has tipped Carrick’s men to win 2-1 at Old Trafford on Sunday.
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/WYiZnEG