An ongoing trend has emerged in the initial stages of Michael Carrick’s permanent reign at Manchester United, demanding his immediate attention.
Each time Bruno Fernandes prepares to whip a bending pass into the penalty area from the half-space, and whenever Bryan Mbeumo cuts inward to deliver a threatening ball toward the far post, this tactical trend becomes glaringly obvious.
While United’s system is designed to launch offensives from the flanks, they currently lack the necessary physical presence in the penalty box to convert these opportunities.
United Must Adjust Their Tactical Approach Just Three Matches Into the Campaign
Statistics provided by Gradient Sports offer an intriguing insight into the Red Devils’ initial fixtures.
At present, Carrick’s squad leads the top flight in attempted inswinging deliveries with 39—outstripping their nearest competitors by ten—while placing second in overall crosses sent in at 84. On an individual level, Fernandes has delivered more inswinging crosses than any other Premier League player, with recent signing Mbeumo holding the third spot.
The strategy is obvious: United are crowding the wings and relying on their creative talents to supply quality, curling passes into the box.
Even though they lead the league in delivery volume, United sit only fifth in terms of crossing accuracy. The main problem is seldom the caliber of passes sent in by Fernandes and Mbeumo; instead, it is the absence of an appropriate aerial target to meet those deliveries.
For the majority of the early matches, Matheus Cunha has occupied the striker role, yet the Brazilian’s style of play is ill-suited for a cross-heavy approach. Cunha functions primarily as a deep-lying forward—a creative, technically gifted player who excels when dropping back to connect the midfield, taking on opponents in congested areas, and striking from long range.
Requiring him to contest aerial duels with physical top-flight central defenders on incoming crosses fails to maximize his true strengths.
When balls are continuously delivered into the penalty area, Cunha is sometimes caught out of place or overpowered in the air, meaning the team’s creative efforts yield little reward.
Carrick has a ready-made solution waiting among the substitutes: Benjamin Sesko.
In contrast to Cunha, Sesko boasts the precise physical attributes required to convert United’s high crossing statistics into actual goals. The Slovenia international brings notable size, strength, and an active presence inside the area.
Standing at 6ft 5in, Sesko provides United with an authentic aerial threat who can challenge low-block defenses in the air. Furthermore, he possesses the instincts to attack the exact areas where curving crosses land.
Should Fernandes and Mbeumo persist with this high volume of deliveries, integrating Sesko into the starting lineup becomes an absolute necessity.
