Carrick’s wildcard move to play Bruno Fernandes in an unusual role will solve two major problems at United

Manchester United's underwhelming transfer activity this summer has left head coach Michael Carrick grappling with a difficult situation. The club's failure to sign a left-back or a striker has left them in a vulnerable position. With Patrick Dorgu and Benjamin Sesko out due to injury, Carrick has been forced to rely on underwhelming players like Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Joshua Zirkzee.

In an attempt to address this problem, Carrick has proposed an unconventional solution - playing Bruno Fernandes as a false nine. This move would not only solve United's striker shortage but also provide the team with a midfield trio featuring Carlos Baleba. Fernandes, who has been primarily used as a box-to-box midfielder, has proven to be a versatile player under different managers over the past six years.

When positioned as a false nine, he has shown his attacking prowess by finishing the campaign with the Premier League assist record. His ability to drop deep would create space for Marcus Rashford and Mbeumo to exploit, while his passing ability would help the team build up play from deep. With Baleba joining the team, United would have a midfield that can effectively progress the play from deep, giving Carrick an opportunity to make the most of the striker shortage at Old Trafford.