Six stats that show Man Utd becoming WORSE under Carrick compared to Amorim | OneFootball

Michael Carrick has steered Manchester United back in the right direction, but has the caretaker manager actually done better than Ruben Amorim?

United were sixth in the table when Amorim was sacked in January, but Carrick has helped them climb to third after taking charge until the end of the season. Whether or not he should be a candidate for the permanent job is debatable, though.

In fact, some stats from Carrick’s first 12 Premier League games in charge of United actually show worse performance levels than from Amorim’s last 12.

Carrick has amassed more points over the respective timeframes – 26, as opposed to 18 – but should any of these underlying numbers be a concern?

xG per game

The expected goals model is a love-it-or-hate-it stat, but it paints a picture of the value of chances being created by a team.

United’s average xG per game under Carrick in the Premier League so far has been 1.37. Over Amorim’s last 12 league games, it was 1.70.

xG against per game

At the other end, the data suggests United have been giving away more dangerous chances.

Their average xG against per game under Carrick is 1.30, whereas over Amorim’s last dozen games it was only 1.16.

Goals per game

Even those who prefer judging things by actual goals would find more to like from the end of the Amorim era than the start of Carrick’s caretaker spell.

United scored 23 goals over Amorim’s last 12 league games, at an average of 1.92 per game.

Under Carrick, they have scored 22 from 12, at an average of 1.83.

Big chances created per game

Carrick’s side are creating an average of 2.58 big chances per game in the league so far.

However, Amorim’s last 12 league games saw United create a superior average of 2.75 big chances per game.

Average possession per game

You don’t necessarily win games by having more possession, but it doesn’t harm.

Carrick’s team are shading the share of the ball compared to their opponents so far, averaging 50.58% possession over their 12 league games working together.

But over Amorim’s last 12, their average possession was 55.00%.

Touches in opposition box per game

Furthermore, where that possession was being maintained can tell its own story.

Carrick’s side average 24.17 touches in the opposition box per game, but over Amorim’s last dozen league games, United were averaging 29.25 touches in the opposition box.

Carrick has certainly earned some credit thanks to United’s revival, but factors like Chelsea’s downfall have also been behind their rise up the table.

United could be having second thoughts about keeping Carrick for the long term and, as much as he deserves appreciating – otherwise completing his transition from underrated player to underrated manager – perhaps justifiably so.