Michael Carrick must scrap a tactic that has angered Manchester United fans

Carrick's high defensive line left gaps Roma exploited for two goals; the tactic should be abandoned ahead of Aston Villa.

Manchester United conceded twice to Roma at Old Trafford on Tuesday in similar fashion, both stemming from a tactical vulnerability that manager Michael Carrick failed to address quickly enough.

In the first half, Diogo Dalot was caught high up the pitch on the left wing when Roma switched play to the right, leaving space for Matias Soule to finish. Minutes later, a similar pattern repeated when Dalot was out of position and Ayden Heaven conceded a penalty for handball on a Soule effort.

Dalot confirmed after the match that he had been instructed to push high as part of Carrick's man-to-man pressing system. While the theory is sound, the execution exposed United's vulnerability: they lack the dominant possession needed to make such an aggressive setup work. Carrick adjusted the tactic only after Roma's second goal, and United recovered to win the match. However, the analysis suggests Carrick should abandon the approach entirely, particularly ahead of this weekend's fixture against Aston Villa, as it mirrors the tactical problems that contributed to Erik ten Hag's downfall.