Jamie Carragher breaks down Carrick’s tactical reset against City

January 21, 2026 Oliver Obel

Manchester United’s surprise win over Manchester City was shaped less by tactical novelty than by restraint, according to Jamie Carragher, who argued that Michael Carrick’s first game in charge showed the value of doing the basics well.

Carrick, appointed interim head coach earlier in the week following Ruben Amorim’s departure, was handed one of the most difficult introductions imaginable: a home Manchester derby against a City side in the middle of a 13-match unbeaten run and chasing the Premier League title.

United’s recent form left them widely viewed as outsiders. Yet second-half goals from Bryan Mbuemo and Patrick Dorgu overturned expectations at Old Trafford, securing the club’s first win of 2026.

Rather than attempting a wholesale tactical overhaul, Carrick focused on clarity. Speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, Carragher said the new coaching staff resisted the urge to complicate matters during a short preparation window.

“It felt like a back-to-basics sort of approach, and I mean that in a complimentary way,” Carragher said, pointing to the limited time Carrick had on the training ground before the match.

Unlike the aggressive man-to-man pressing systems increasingly common in the Premier League, United adopted a more conservative zonal structure. Carragher described it as a throwback to earlier eras, built around collective positioning rather than constant individual duels.

That approach placed heavy emphasis on effort without the ball. Carragher noted that intensity out of possession was something no opponent could fully neutralise, regardless of technical quality.

Sky Sports’ distance-covered data supported that assessment. Four of United’s top five performers for ground covered on the day including Kobbie Mainoo and Dorgu featured prominently in the derby, reflecting a collective commitment to the plan.

Mainoo, in particular, was central to how United disrupted City’s build-up. Carragher highlighted the young midfielder’s partnership with Casemiro, arguing that their coordination addressed a problem that has plagued United in recent seasons: Casemiro being left isolated in central areas.

United’s zonal press was designed to funnel possession toward City’s less experienced defender, Max Alleyne, before triggering pressure. As Mainoo stepped out to limit Rodri’s influence, wide players such as Amad and Dorgu tucked inside to keep the midfield compact.

Carragher suggested that balance rather than sheer aggression was the defining feature of the performance. He likened the spacing of United’s wide players during one turnover to traditional wing partnerships, referencing Ryan Giggs and David Beckham as a visual comparison.

According to Sky Sports analysis, Carrick’s first derby in charge served as a reminder that structural discipline and collective work rate can still unsettle even the most dominant sides, particularly when execution is sharp.

Sources: Sky Sports