Just a few months ago, the atmosphere at Old Trafford was defined by frustration and growing despair.
Now, with Manchester United’s impressive run under manager Michael Carrick, that narrative has been completely rewritten.
United have evolved from a disjointed team into one of the Premier League’s most in-form teams.
This dramatic turnaround has raised questions among United fans, but is it too late to catch Arsenal on the rise in a sensational charge towards the Premier League title?
Michael Carrick makes Man United more competitive
Mr. Carrick’s tenure thus far has been nothing short of a masterclass in crisis management.
Rather than overcomplicating his approach, the former United midfielder took his team back to basics and completely revitalized the dressing room in the process.
Players who seemed completely unconvinced early in the campaign suddenly started playing with more swagger and aggression.
United’s form is astonishing, but closing the gap and taking the lead is a difficult task.
However, Simon Stone reports that when asked about catching league leaders Arsenal, Carrick replied:
“Listen, in football you can’t rule anything out, but we have to be realistic. We just have to keep winning games and see what happens. We’ve got two great teams above us right now, some really good teams within and around us. We’re doing well, we’re definitely not in the groove, but we’ve got to be patient and live in the moment. We’ll just keep pushing.”
Red Devils manager vows to keep pushing rivals
Carrick’s assessment strikes the perfect balance between ambition and pragmatism.
He doesn’t put a cap on what this team can accomplish, but acknowledges the pedigree of the team they’re chasing.
Regardless of whether Man United can actually catch Arsenal, Carrick has already achieved the unthinkable.
He achieved great results against teams such as Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham, and also made Man United play some beautiful football.
It may be too early for this United team to challenge for the title, but there’s no telling what next season will bring.
Carrick sends message to Manchester United bosses as interim manager continues to impress
