We had it pegged as a Big Weekend for Donny and it eventually turned out that way. How much does Carrick want to be seen to be his own man? Some changes are inevitable but even the best coaches can’t implement widespread and sustainable improvements in one recovery training session and another leg-stretcher before United board the plane to Spain.
So how does Carrick attempt to steer United in a different direction? Without a fresh face or voice, will the Red Devils raise their standards from their shameful display at Watford and the pitiful performances against Liverpool and Manchester City? It was they who put the bibs and cones out so if the United players are expecting immediate day-to-day changes in Solskjaer’s absence, they might be sorely disappointed. If United’s players were fed up with the coaching, training and lack of tactical instruction, then those coaches bear as much of the blame as Solskjaer for the squad’s discontent. It will doubtless be a fascinating game to watch, but with City already through, like Chelsea and Liverpool, their serene progress means they pass up the spotlight for the chaos unfolding at Old Trafford.Ĭarrick is the man expected to bring some order to said chaos, with one of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s assistants leading the rest when United travel to Villarreal on Tuesday evening.Ĭarrick, Mike Phelan, Kieran McKenna and co. Neymar is an injury doubt, with Kevin De Bruyne also missing for City. The pre-match press conference on Tuesday will arguably generate more interest than Wednesday night’s meeting, despite Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe rolling up with their mates in Manchester.
So it is little wonder that Pochettino is supposedly fed up of life in France already, especially while he lives Jose-style in a Paris hotel with his family still in London. If Brugge triumph and City gain revenge for their 2-0 defeat in Paris back in September then it could leave Pochettino and PSG facing an awkward final group game against the Belgians, and open up the manager to further criticism, despite Poch having the Parisians 11 points clear at the Ligue 1 summit. Both could earn a place in the knockout stages even with a defeat if Club Brugge don’t beat RB Leipzig. Pep and Poch meet at the Etihad on Wednesday night in a battle which will almost certainly decide who qualifies from Group A in top spot.
And that City’s clash with PSG is bigger than the ‘Mauricio Pochettino heads to Manchester’ subplot. We have to at least pretend that Manchester United isn’t the only story this week. Leicester and PSG have to ignore it for their own sakes in Europe… The spectre of Man Utd hangs over many more people than just their interim-interim manager.
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