Undroppable under Amorim: £19m Man Utd star now fighting to survive in 4-2-3-1 formation
Manchester United appointed Michael Carrick as their new caretaker head coach for the remainder of the 2025-26 campaign.
Carrick is no stranger to the dugout at Old Trafford, having already overseen three matches on an interim basis following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
He then stepped into full-time management at Middlesbrough, spending two-and-a-half demanding years there before being relieved of his duties at the end of the 2024–25 season.
During that spell, Carrick built a clear tactical identity, leaning heavily on a 4-2-3-1 system in nearly 90% of his matches.
This could spell trouble for United star Amad Diallo, who was undroppable under former manager Ruben Amorim at right wing-back.
On paper, Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko and Bryan Mbeumo now look poised to form Carrick’s first-choice attacking trio.
Bruno Fernandes is also expected to reclaim his natural number 10 role, operating just behind the central striker.
Diallo is not a right-back so he naturally finds himself out of the team.
The best option for Diallo may be to reinvent himself as a left winger under Carrick.
The 23-year-old boasts explosive acceleration and close control, attributes perfectly suited to stretching defences from the flank.
Cunha, by contrast, is a more direct threat who thrives on drifting into central areas rather than hugging the touchline.
That versatility could even see the Brazilian deputise as a striker should Sesko be unavailable.
Such a shift would create valuable space on the left, offering Diallo a platform to impress Carrick.
Although primarily a right winger, the Ivorian has experience operating on the opposite flank earlier in his career.
From there, Diallo could isolate full-backs, drive at defenders and deliver dangerous balls into the box for Sesko.
The £19 million signing is almost certain to play a key role off the bench, but his ambition and talent will push him to fight relentlessly for regular starts.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .