Manchester United manager Michael Carrick said the three-week international break had not come at the best time for the Red Devils. The former England midfielder expressed his regret at the extended break, which disrupted the team's rhythm of play in a period where continuity was crucial.
After a mixed start to the season, with mixed results, Carrick highlighted how the long break had had a negative effect on the Premier League calendar. "I've been very honest: It's not ideal. It's a long break, probably too long from my perspective, and it feels like a really long time has passed," he said. Despite this, the coach highlighted that the technical staff made the most of every day available at the training center to analyze the team's overall performance in detail.
The coach felt that the break, although unpleasant, offered a valuable opportunity to take stock. “The opportunity to take stock was welcome,” Carrick explained. "Regardless of the results, these stops always offer an opportunity to take stock and plan the next moves. This one in particular was extra-long and gave us the opportunity to work both on the good things to preserve and on the aspects to clean up and improve to obtain much better results."
The coach's main objective remains the correction of defensive errors and the reduction of carelessness which have cost dearly in recent matches. However, Carrick reiterated that there is no intention of losing the good game patterns shown so far. The team, in fact, has already started working on these areas, trying to consolidate the defensive structure without sacrificing the offensive energy that has characterized some of its most recent successes.
Looking to the future, Manchester United prepares to return to the competition with new energy. The coach underlined that, once the national break is over, the team will be ready to get back into rhythm and aim for more consistent results. With the season still ongoing, the club hopes to make the most of the remaining time to consolidate their position in the Premier League and European competitions.