"Carrick had a pretty straightforward objective when he came into the job, but that is said with the benefit of hindsight. The likes of Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim saved their reputations by going all-in on a cup competition after fluffing the league, while Carrick had only the league to prove himself. That meant fewer games, which meant selection headaches, the first of which came to the fore when Sesko became unstoppable coming off the bench."
"Carrick finally gave Sesko his first start under Palace and he scored, but even when he wasn't starting, the Man Utd manager kept praising Sesko and made him feel involved. When the shoe was on the other foot, and Amad made way for Sesko, Carrick switched tactics and praised Amad, recently calling him a dream to work with."
"It was a man-management masterclass in making the rotation players feel valued and a part of the team instead of alienating them with unrealistic remarks. What was a tricky selection headache has turned into multiple solutions to the goalscoring question, which Carrick deserves credit for."
Michael Carrick faced a significant selection challenge when Benjamin Sesko emerged as a strong performer off the bench, eventually earning a start against Crystal Palace where he scored. Simultaneously, Amad remained a valuable contributor despite reduced playing time. Rather than alienating either player, Carrick employed strategic man-management by consistently praising both performers and making them feel integral to the team's success. When Sesko started, Carrick highlighted his impact; when Amad was benched, he praised the Ivorian's qualities and work ethic. This approach transformed a potential squad conflict into multiple attacking solutions. Carrick's handling of rotation contrasts sharply with Ruben Amorim's tenure, where fringe players often felt marginalized, suggesting Amorim could benefit from adopting similar man-management principles.
Read at United In Focus
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