Michael Carrick was among the thousands at Old Trafford to honour Casemiro, but he was also the one who started the respect train for his forgotten teammate.
The 3-2 win against Nottingham Forest ensured Casemiro got the perfect farewell on his final game at Old Trafford.
The cheery atmosphere saw Casemiro give an emotional speech thanking the Man Utd fans, and it was all along expected lines.
What wasn’t expected was Michael Carrick giving a shout-out to his less heralded teammate to put into focus his man-management traits.
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Michael Carrick gave Tyrell Malacia his flowers
Casemiro is not the only player who is out of contract at the end of the season. It’s just that it’s hard to remember Tyrell Malacia is still contracted to the club.
Malacia’s contract also expires in the summer, and while there were calls from fans to give Casemiro one more year, Malacia’s case is the extreme opposite.
He might as well have left in January, and nobody would have blinked an eye, but that doesn’t mean he warrants ignorance and avoidance on his way out.
The Dutchman was a capable backup in his debut season, and injuries marred his progress since.
Carrick, in his end-of-season speech, paid a tribute to Casemiro but didn’t forget about Malacia, encouraging the Old Trafford faithful to applaud the Dutchman.
He said: “There’s Tyrell [Malacia], whom I spoke to the boys about before kickoff. He’s been through a tough time due to injuries. I encourage you to show him your support.”
The fans responded well to Carrick’s request, giving Malacia a warm applause that will hopefully sweeten how he remembers his Man Utd spell when all’s said and done.
Letting Malacia leave was the no-brainer decision, but giving him his flowers on an emotionally charged occasion dedicated to Casemiro shows Carrick’s special man-management trait.
Michael Carrick can bring a dressing room together
It’s a statement backed up by numerous players so far, but Carrick’s man-management trait has shades of Sir Alex Ferguson.
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That’s not a surprise, considering he spent the better part of his career under his tutelage, and the way he brings everyone together bodes well for his prospects as the permanent Man Utd manager.
He has shown the ability to bring about a siege mentality to the club, backing his players publicly through thick and thin.
Like with Malacia, players will always appreciate these small gestures that make a manager more human.
Kobbie Mainoo has already said he wants to “die” for Carrick on the pitch, and that’s precisely the kind of sentiment Sir Alex used to extract out of his players.
Malacia will appreciate Carrick not forgetting about him on this occasion, and his teammates will respect Carrick even more for it.
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