Brighton vs. Manchester United: Carrick’s Victory Lap | OneFootball

What a season it has been for Manchester United. Full of highs and lows, but ultimately it has ended on a positive note.

When Ruben Amorim was sacked in January United were sixth in the league and 17 points behind Arsenal. Few would have thought they would finish in the Champions League places.

Now they are third, and they will finish the season in that position. Michael Carrick, the interim manager whose managerial performance has gained him the full-time job, has turned things around completely.

Carrick Revival

Since joining in January, Carrick has overseen 16 league games and United have picked up 36 points since then, more than any other Premier League team including Arsenal.

United’s campaign did have some real lows, none more so than the Carabao Cup exit to League Two’s Grimsby Town on penalties.

The Red Devils finished 15th last season, and many fans felt the club was in crisis and Amorim should have been sacked after the Europa League final loss to Tottenham. The Portuguese lasted another eight months following that crushing 1-0 defeat. If United had changed tack then, who knows where they could have finished this year.

Undoubtedly, they have been hugely aided by no European football and being knocked out of both domestic cups at the early stages. Carrick has only had to prepare his team for one game a week, sometimes even less. At one point in the season United went three weeks without playing a league game.

Next year they will not have that luxury, and we are yet to see how Carrick will cope with Champions League football. Both the pressure to deliver, and the busy fixture schedule.

Carrick Doubters

Many fans didn’t want the Englishman to get the job. Including many of his ex-teammates.

Former United players Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Roy Keane and others have all voiced their concerns. Some felt United should only be going for the best in class Someone of the stature of Julian Nagelsmann, the current German manager, or Luis Enrique of PSG.

But United have put their faith in Carrick, and simply going by his results since taking over, it is difficult to argue that he does not deserve his chance.

Bruno Fernandes’ Brilliance

Carrick has also been the beneficiary of a brilliant performance this year from Bruno Fernandes. The Portuguese has 20 Premier League assists, equalling the record held by both Thierry Henry and Kevin de Bruyne.

This Sunday against Brighton will be his final chance to break the record. Such have been his performances; he is also the winner of the Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year Award.

Over 900 FWA members voted, and he won 45% of the  votes. Fernandes has at times carried United over the last six-and-a-half years since joining the club, and it would be fitting for him to break the assist record.

Big Game for Brighton

There isn’t a lot on the line for United on Sunday, but for Brighton the game is huge. They are right in the race for European football, currently seventh, and Fabian Hürzeler knows a win will secure Europa League football next season.

Brighton have only lost two of their last eight games, while United have only lost once since early March.

This will be Carrick’s first game since being announced as permanent manager, and one would assume he will not let his players be ‘on the beach’.