Carrick’s wildcard move to play Bruno Fernandes in an unusual role will solve two major problems at United

Manchester United’s uninspiring transfer business over the summer has put head coach Michael Carrick in a difficult situation.

In their bid to overhaul United’s midfield, Jason Wilcox and company overlooked other areas of the field. The decision not to bring in a left-back or a striker is starting to seem like a huge oversight.

Ahead of United’s clash against Tottenham Hotspur, Carrick confirmed that Patrick Dorgu and Benjamin Sesko would be unavailable due to injury. A shin injury has kept Sesko in and out of the side since the second half of last season, forcing Carrick to rely on the likes of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Joshua Zirkzee.

All three players have underwhelmed while leading United’s attack for different reasons, and with Sesko still sidelined, it is time for Carrick to look for another solution.

In that regard, one player who has proven to be a jack of all trades and a master as well under several managers over the past six years could prove to be an answer to the persistent striker problem under Carrick.

Bruno Fernandes as False 9

After an impressive stint as a box-to-box midfielder under Ruben Amorim, Bruno Fernandes returned to his favoured number 10 position following Michael Carrick’s arrival at the turn of the year.

After being positioned higher up the pitch, Fernandes also returned to his devastating best and finished the campaign with the Premier League assist record to his name.

A few United managers, including Ralf Rangnick and Erik ten Hag, have made the most of Fernandes’ attacking prowess by pushing him even higher, as a false nine.

In the absence of a natural striker in the FA Cup final against Manchester City in 2024, Ten Hag trusted Fernandes to spearhead the attack as a false nine. The Portuguese delivered a stellar performance and registered a sublime no-look assist for Kobbie Mainoo‘s match-winning strike.

Without a doubt, Fernandes is currently one of the best passers in European football, but he is also a ferocious striker of the ball, boasting a variety of finishing options in his locker. He has more goals than assists under his belt at both United and former club Sporting CP.

The 32-year-old star has already shown how lethal he is in front of goal this season with a hat-trick against Ipswich Town.

The most commendable aspect of Fernandes’ game is that, irrespective of his role, he never stops working tirelessly and consistently tries to lead the side’s press.

Moreover, his ability to drop deep as a false nine would leave acres of space for the likes of Marcus Rashford and Mbeumo to exploit.

Path clear for Carlos Baleba

During previous managerial reigns, United’s build-up suffered whenever Fernandes was asked to stay up front, with the Red Devils lacking midfielders capable of progressing the play from deep.

That is not the case anymore, as both Mainoo and Youri Tielemans are technically gifted midfielders, possessing dribbling ability and passing range to effectively find their teammates in the final third.

The decision to move Fernandes as a striker would also pave the way for Carlos Baleba to come into the starting line-up and form an exciting midfield trio.

Baleba is an excellent ball carrier and an even better ball winner, who would take both the intensity and physicality of the midfield up a notch.

The Portuguese maestro is a decisive player who has the game intelligence and positional awareness to be a dangerous presence anywhere in the final third. Now, United have a midfield that would not cry out for their captain to make things happen all the time, handing Carrick a brilliant opportunity to make the striker shortage at Old Trafford a blessing in disguise.