MANCHESTER United are on a roll, and a massive one at that.
Indeed, since Michael Carrick took over in the wake of Ruben Amorim’s departure, the Red Devils have won five of their six matches and drawn the other. That’s good going by any standards.
But such has been the mediocrity of this side since Alex Ferguson left more than a decade ago that, suddenly – and quite bewilderingly – their supporters are talking about winning the league.
Of course it’s not impossible, but it is highly unlikely. What Man United do have in abundance is momentum. And instead of bragging, the supporters should take a cue from Carrick: be quiet, get the job done, without being noisy about it.
Carrick has impressed sufficiently to be installed as the rightful favourite for the permanent role in the off-season.
However, Crystal Palace’s visit to Old Trafford promises a stern examination of the progress made under his stewardship.
Palace, who are beginning to hit their stride, can be tricky customers and will undoubtedly punish the Red Devils should any complacency creep in.
United’s victory over Everton on Monday – which propelled them back into the top four – was a commanding performance.
What it did do was illustrate how effective Carrick has been in getting his charges to control the game without being overly pressured.
Everton were limited to only a few opportunities by a defence that has long been a concern for several managers.
Meanwhile, the midfield, which has caused anxiety for years, operated cohesively and showed better creativity than usual.
Captain Bruno Fernandes (pic) appears to be getting back to his fluent best, and it has shown in a run of several games leading to Everton’s defeat.
The frontline also got the job done, with Benjamin Sesko happy to settle the matter with a quality strike.
For their part, Palace will aim to keep things tight tomorrow until well into the second period and then strike on the counter-attack, a trick they have turned with telling regularity in the past. — By SHAUN ORANGE
