Carrick wants more clean sheets to turn season around

Manchester United's Michael Carrick seeks improvement in clean sheets.

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Manchester United interim manager Michael Carrick has acknowledged the need for his team to improve their defensive record, specifically in keeping clean sheets. In a pre-match news conference ahead of their Champions League match against Como, Carrick was asked if he had figured out the problem behind their struggles to keep opponents out.

According to the BBC Sport, United have managed to keep the opposition out only once in 10 games this season, with that solitary clean sheet coming against Azerbaijan champions Sabah FK last month. This is a stark contrast to their performance under Carrick's predecessor, Ruben Amorim, who oversaw nine clean sheets in 63 games.

Carrick's own record in this regard is also under scrutiny, with the team managing six clean sheets in 17 matches in charge last season. However, prior to that, they had only managed two clean sheets all season. The comparison with Arsenal, who have recorded seven clean sheets in 11 matches this season, highlights the need for improvement in this area.

One potential solution to achieve defensive stability, according to Carrick, is continuity of selection. However, this has proved elusive so far, with the team only once being able to name the same back four. Carrick described his fitness update before the Como encounter as 'a mixed bag'.

The issue of clean sheets is not a new one for Manchester United, with the problem dating back to Carrick's tenure. The team's struggles in this area have been highlighted by their inability to keep opponents out, with the solitary clean sheet against Sabah FK being a rare exception.

Carrick's response to the question about clean sheets was to the point, acknowledging the need for improvement in this area. He stated that there are 'definitely parts of our game we have to improve to make things easier' and that he is 'fully aware of that'.