I feel that I’m not alone in my reaction to Michael Carrick including Carlos Baleba in his matchday squad for Manchester United’s Premier League clash with Fulham.
I was on the fence ahead of Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage about Carlos Baleba making the bench, despite Michael Carrick teasing his potential fitness.
However, Baleba was named among the substitutes for Manchester United for the first time since the Red Devils made their big-money move for him in the summer.
By the full-time whistle in United’s encounter with Fulham, however, I was left asking myself another question about the 22-year-old Cameroonian talent.
Why did Michael Carrick include Carlos Baleba when he knew that he would not play for Man Utd against Fulham?
I was not alone in questioning why Manchester United manager Michael Carrick decided to put Carlos Baleba on the bench for Sunday evening’s clash. The reaction from United fans was felt on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, and was further amplified with Fulham leading the Red Devils 1-0 at that time.
I think it was even more abundantly clear that Carrick had no intention to use the Red Devils’ marquee summer signing with his substitutions at Craven Cottage. United legend Carrick waited until the 77th minute to make his first change after he withdrew England star Marcus Rashford and replaced him with Joshua Zirkzee.
I knew from the aforementioned moment that Baleba would not be coming on — and it was only reinforced three minutes later when Kobbie Mainoo made way. By the time the full-time whistle was blown in United’s 1-1 draw against Fulham, I was left scratching my head at Baleba’s inclusion in the team picks at the weekend.
Baleba has been trying to recover from a pre-season injury that he suffered with Brighton in the summer and had been expected to return after the October break. It felt like some of the aura around Baleba’s name being on the team sheet evaporated at the weekend instead of waiting for the right time to reveal that he was ready.
I think all the signs were pointing to the Tottenham match in October being the perfect place for the Cameroon midfielder to be featured for the first time for United. Let’s face it: as Man Utd signed Baleba in a deal worth £70m in the summer, there is no chance the former Brighton ace is coming off the bench for his debut.
I still can’t work out why Carrick drew attention to Baleba’s placement on the bench when he had no intention of using him against Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday. It felt incredibly pointless before, during and even after the match.
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/fRXb4qP