Michael Carrick has made a fool of Ruben Amorim – transformation of two Man United stars proves that

Michael Carrick has only been in place for two weeks and has already managed to tactically outclass the great Pep Guardiola and end Manchester United’s nine-year Premier League hoodoo at the Emirates Stadium.

But, perhaps Carrick’s most impressive feat is transforming Patrick Dorgu from a figure of derision even amongst his own supporters to a big-game scorer of stunning goals.

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Dorgu’s amazing strike off the underside of the bar to change the momentum of this contest in United‘s favour reminded this excitable observer of Yeboah’s iconic strikes for Leeds against Liverpool and Wimbledon back in the mid 1990s.

It feels a fitting comparison after Arsenal and United rolled back the years to treat us to a classic encounter from a bygone era of this great rivalry between two of England’s most decorated clubs.

While it is no longer a match-up between two direct title rivals, beating Arsenal in their own back yard for the first time since Jose Mourinho was in the away dugout back in 2017 was still something to shout to the rooftops about for those in a packed away end.

The travelling United fans have had more than their fair share of misery in the red half of north London in recent years so it was no wonder they were still serenading their new boss long after the final whistle.

The manner in which Carrick has found a way to get the best out of a previously floundering Dorgu is just one example of where he is leaving his predecessor Ruben Amorim trailing in his wake.

Where Amorim publicly slated Dorgu for failing to replicate his form for Denmark in a United jersey, much to the horror of his paymasters, Carrick has installed confidence in his game to conjure up such wonderous goals as we witnessed five minutes into the second half.

Dorgu has now bagged the clincher in a Manchester derby and a goal of the season to topple the league leaders and title favourites.

Kobbie Mainoo freed

For further evidence of Carrick’s man management making a fool of Amorim, who is still to comment publicly on his departure, see Kobbie Mainoo.

The poster boy of United’s famous youth academy, scorer of the winning goal in all-Manchester FA Cup final and part of the England team that reached a European Championship final did not start a single Premier League game this season under Amorim.

Amorim’s refusal to utilise Mainoo because he didn’t fit the system which ultimately proved his downfall was in itself a sackable offence.

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In two games under Carrick, Mainoo looks a player reborn and may yet be able to force his way into Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad.

The midfield battle between Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes and Mainoo against Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi and Martin Odegaard was always going to be crucial to the outcome.

That two of the Arsenal trio, including their captain, were hauled off, with more than half an hour to play tells you Mainoo stood tall. It was also his delicate pass into super-sub Matheus Cunha that teed up the Brazilian’s brilliant late winner.

Of course, Carrick’s biggest win so far is abandoning Amorim’s flawed 3-4-3 formation, leading to five goals in two games against two historic foes and the top two in the table.

Where the football under the Portuguese was too often laboured and lethargic there is a new energy about Carrick’s Red Devils, and already a clear connection between supporters and players.

The caveat to all of that is that this is a team who have made a habit of showing up for the big occasion and then stinking the place out in the games they are expected to win.

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In their next five games United host Fulham, struggling Tottenham Hotspur and a Crystal Place team in freefall at Old Trafford and go away to West Ham and Everton.

If Carrick can find a way to maintain the level of performance his players have portrayed in his first two matches in those fixtures then maybe a return to the Champions League next season is a realistic ambition.