LIVE
...

Follow us on

Opinion

Michael Carrick’s early pre-season tour shows distinctive Man Utd feature of Sir Alex Ferguson era is returning

Add as preferred source on Google

Michael Carrick is now ensuring that Manchester United are showing major shades of an important quality from Sir Alex Ferguson’s time at Old Trafford.

The 44-year-old Manchester United legend has overseen a defeat and a draw during the pre-season campaign since he took charge at the club on a permanent basis.

Michael Carrick watched on from the dugout as Man Utd lost 1-0 to Championship side Wrexham at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium in Finland earlier this month.

Following United’s encounter with Wrexham, the Red Devils were able to bounce back to winning ways with their 5-0 drubbing of Rosenborg last week.

READ MORE: Wayne Rooney dismisses ‘strange’ Man Utd theory that emerged during World Cup build-up and Ineos proved his point

Head Coach Michael Carrick of Manchester United in action during a first team training session at Carrington Training Ground on July 10, 2026 in Manchester, England.
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images

Which Manchester United academy star impressed you the most vs Rosenborg?

Shea Lacey, Jacob Devaney, Harry Amass and Ethan Williams all scored, but there were so many impressive performances!

Rosenborg BK v Manchester United - Pre-Season Friendly
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images

Mason Mount perfectly captures Michael Carrick’s vision around the Man Utd youth academy post-Sir Alex Ferguson

During both the Wrexham and Rosenborg matches, Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has ensured that the Red Devils’ youth academy has been used.

Carrick has not shied away from using the Premier League club’s up-and-coming talent, with Man Utd’s crushing win over Rosenborg being the perfect example.

Shea Lacey, Jacob Devaney, Harry Amass and Ethan Williams all found the back of the net for the Red Devils during their visit to the Lerkendal Stadion in Norway.

Red Devils No 7 Mason Mount received the captain’s armband in the match and later talked about his experience of seeing so many youthful players under his leadership.

Speaking after United’s encounter with Rosenborg, he told MUTV: “I had the same when I was younger coming through.

“The older players putting their arm around me and yeah, that kind of experience as you get older, you have and, and you learn from and, and that’s obviously to help the younger lads.”

As per Manchester United’s official website, Mount added: “I think they’ve been brilliant. I think the first game they came on, obviously in the second half, and I thought they played really well.

[A lot came on] in the middle of the half, and that’s always difficult. They’ve got to find the rhythm straight away, and I thought obviously they did with scoring a few goals.

“So, as I said before, really pleased for them. I think they’re doing really, really well.”

READ MORE: A longstanding Sir Alex Ferguson myth at Old Trafford that people thought was fake, but turned out to be true

What is your INSTANT REACTION as Manchester United beat Rosenborg 5-0

Who impressed you most and why?

Getty Images

The Man Utd ‘DNA’ is more visible than ever under Michael Carrick since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer knew all too well about how important Man Utd youth was during his managerial reign after seeing it first-hand under Sir Alex Ferguson.

It is no different under United head coach Carrick, especially in the post-Ruben Amorim era of the Premier League club.

There always felt a ‘disconnect’ between Ruben Amorim and the Red Devils talent that came through the academy, with Kobbie Mainoo being the perfect example.

However, Carrick feels much more closely aligned with embracing the Man Utd ‘DNA’ and tapping into the importance of youth academy talent for the first-team squad.

With four pre-season matches still left in the summer tour, there is no doubt that Carrick will continue to experiment with youth talent much like Ferguson did.