Gary Lineker was as surprised as anyone who witnessed the entire 90 minutes at Manchester United’s performance on Saturday afternoon.
The Red Devils defeated arch-rivals Manchester City 2-0 at home and are just one point behind the top four.
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United actually had the ball in the back of the net five times in total, but ultimately won 2-0 thanks to VAR intervention.
Michael Carrick begins interim Manchester United tenure in dreamy fashion
(Photo by Carl Lessing/Getty Images)
Ultimately, Michael Carrick, his players and the fans won’t care. Achieving maximum points against the Blues before kick-off looked like a daunting task, but United seemed to do it with ease.
Carrick’s game plan was executed to perfection from the first minute to the 90th – even his substitutions proved the impact of his hoped-for substitutes; the likes of Mason Mount and Matheus Cunha helped get the team over the line, the former scoring a superb late goal before being eliminated.
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You might be thinking if Erling Haaland started the game, he featured so little, while the likes of Phil Foden, Jeremy Doku and eventually Rayan Cherki simply couldn’t compete with United’s formidable backline.
Lineker on Manchester United vs Manchester City
(Photo by Carl Lessing/Getty Images)
Commenting on Carrick’s performance and tactical changes, Lineker told the ‘The Rest Is Football’ panel: “He brought in Kobe Minor and he looks comfortable in the midfield and he hasn’t started since August, so I think it’s a mix of different things.
“Also, moving Bruno Fernandes a little bit forward…Bruno is absolutely brilliant and looks more like a suitable fit.”
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“I know he is out for the Africa Cup of Nations but Amad [Diallo] On the right – but not as a full-back,” Lineker continued.
“I mean, players that fit their position, they look more comfortable in their role and with that comes the energy, with that comes the passion and the belief. They have to keep that. Keep that.”
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