{
  "id": 7717398,
  "title": "Why are Man Utd better without the ball?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/why-are-man-utd-better-without-the-ball",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-16T05:46:28.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC Sport",
    "slug": "bbc-sport",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cxnvl2nv525ro?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Under Michael Carrick's leadership, Manchester United have demonstrated that they are better when they have less possession of the ball. Statistical analysis shows that when United have less than 50% possession, they average 2.6 points per game, compared to 1.5 when they have more than 50%. This trend continued, with United winning 10 of their last 10 games when their possession dropped to 45% or below. Former United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer found himself in a similar situation, struggling to bridge the gap between their elite counter-attacking style and the need to compete against teams that give the ball away more frequently. Carrick's coaching approach has been focused on proactivity, excitement, and directness, which has led United to look better with space to attack, as their strengths align well with this style of play. Key players like Senne Lammens, Harry Maguire, and Marcus Rashford contribute to this approach, with Carrick providing them with a degree of freedom to make decisions on the pitch. However, this increased freedom may also make the team more susceptible to losing possession when facing stubborn defenses. Carrick's team primarily uses a 4-2-4 shape in possession, but this can result in isolated wide players who are not the strongest one-on-one dribblers. Additionally, United's attackers often seem to rely more on reactive methods of creating chances compared to the repeatable methods of creation that other successful teams utilize. As a workaround for their struggles in beating teams that allow them the ball, United have relied on their set-pieces, with a 56% success rate since Carrick took over.",
  "summary": "Under Michael Carrick, Manchester United average 1.5 points per game when they have more than 50% of the ball. When they have less than 50%, this number is 2.6.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "BBC Sport Football",
        "title": "Why are Man Utd better without the ball?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/why-are-man-utd-better-without-the-ball-7717416",
        "published": "2026-09-16T05:46:28.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Why are Man Utd better without the ball?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/why-are-man-utd-better-without-the-ball-7717973",
        "published": "2026-09-16T05:46:34.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}