Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has acknowledged the urgent need for his side to register more clean sheets as they prepare to face Italian side Como in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters at the Giuseppe Sinigaglia stadium, as reported by BBC Sport, Carrick concurred when asked if recording shutouts would help turn United’s season around.
The Old Trafford club has managed to keep the opposition scoreless just once in 10 matches across all competitions this term, achieving their solitary clean sheet against Azerbaijani champions Sabah FK last month.
“There’s definitely parts of our game we have to improve to make things easier. I am fully aware of that,” Carrick said.
The defensive issues extend prior to the current campaign. United recorded six clean sheets during Carrick’s 17 matches in charge last season, whereas his predecessor Ruben Amorim managed nine shutouts across 63 games. In contrast, Premier League champions Arsenal have registered seven clean sheets in 11 matches so far this season.
Carrick’s attempt to establish defensive stability has been hindered by constant squad changes. He has only been able to name an unchanged back four once this season, when Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, and Luke Shaw started in a victory against Ipswich Town before retaining their places against Everton the following week.
Describing his squad’s fitness situation as “a mixed bag,” Carrick confirmed that defender Matthijs de Ligt is “fit and ready” following an 11-month layoff due to a back injury that required surgery in May.
However, De Ligt remained on the bench against Leeds United on Sunday, while Lisandro Martinez suffered a thigh injury that ruled him out of the trip to Italy. Consequently, full-back Noussair Mazraoui was shifted into central defence.
United’s defensive options are further limited with Leny Yoro serving a suspension. Meanwhile, Shaw remains unfit and is expected to be out longer than Kobbie Mainoo, who faces 10 days on the sidelines.
Shaw is not expected to return until after the November international break.
When Dalot started at left-back against Leeds, he became the fifth different player to feature in that position for United in six matches.
Aside from Shaw, none of the options deployed are natural left-backs, although 20-year-old Ayden Heaven played primarily on the left side during his youth career at Arsenal.
Nineteen-year-old Harry Amass, who filled in during pre-season and made a single senior appearance as a substitute against Sabah FK, is also under consideration for the role.
“He’s right in contention,” Carrick said regarding Amass. “At some point, young players need an opportunity. It’s just finding the right time. Sometimes it’s because there’s an unfortunate thing happened to somebody else. Sometimes it’s just you’re doing so well we have to give you a chance.”
United held discussions with Manchester City regarding Algeria international Rayan Ait-Nouri on transfer deadline day to address the left-back area, but a deal was not completed.
Questions have been raised regarding the club’s decision not to recruit dedicated cover for Shaw, as well as the spending of £50 million to sign midfielder Andrey Santos from Chelsea.
Addressing the club’s summer business while sitting alongside Santos during the press conference, Carrick defended the transfer strategy.
“When we’ve got injuries at different stages, we can always look at what could have been done and where we could have improved,” Carrick said. “I spoke to you about making the best of the transfer window in the situation we had.
This man next to us [Santos] was a big part of that. I’m delighted to have him. We had to make decisions in the summer. We did what we could do and made the best of it.”
Source: BBC Sport
