Manchester United go to Chelsea on Saturday with an eight-game winless run still hanging over them, and the numbers point to a press that has not brought enough control. They have used a high block for 36 per cent of opposition build-up phases, yet only 10 of their 52 high regains have led to a shot. That is a poor return for a team trying to win the ball higher up and keep opponents pinned in.
Carrick's pressing problem
The bigger issue is not effort, it is shape. United have spent just 56.5 minutes in a high defensive compactness structure this season, and their high press has been easy to play through far too often. They are 16th in the Premier League with 7 points from 8 matches, which is why the Chelsea trip feels like a game for fewer moving parts and a more compact block.
Sports Mole have suggested a switch of formation may be coming, while Sky Sports have pushed the more cautious read that Carrick may stay with a similar shape and simply manage the details better. Either way, the current setup has not travelled well, and the Leeds 1-1 draw in the most recent league outing mentioned in the piece did little to calm that.
Fernandes, youth and the selection call
Bruno Fernandes sits at the centre of the selection debate. Sky Sports quoted him questioning
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
