da bet7： Manchester United are set for a new era over the next couple of months, with Michael Carrick the man chosen to lead the side forward until the end of the campaign.

da betsson： It was confirmed yesterday that the 44-year-old had been the man selected by the hierarchy to replace Ruben Amorim on a temporary basis until a permanent boss is found.

It’s not the first time Carrick has been handed the responsibility of leading the Red Devils, after previously managing three first-team matches in November 2021.

There’s no doubt the former United player will be eyeing up the job on a permanent basis in the future, potentially following in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s footsteps at Old Trafford.

However, any chance of such a situation becoming a reality could depend on his form in the next couple of months, something which could have been made easier with a move for one Premier League star.

Why United wanted to sign Semenyo during the January window

Before the transfer window even opened this month, United were just one of the Premier League sides credited with an interest in landing winger Antoine Semenyo.

The Ghanaian international has lit up England’s top-flight over the last couple of months, as seen by his remarkable tally of 10 goals in his first 20 appearances of the 2025/26 campaign.

However, despite having a £65m release clause, the Red Devils missed out on his signature, with the 26-year-old instead making a move to join bitter rivals Manchester City instead.

Missing out on such a talent is one thing, but doing so to a rival will no doubt add to the pain, especially when the two sides face off against each other this weekend.

Semenyo has already hit the ground running after moving to the Etihad, with the attacker registering a goal and an assist on his debut against Exeter City last weekend.

However, Carrick will now have a huge job on his hands to keep the attacker quiet at Old Trafford when they face Pep Guardiola’s men on Saturday afternoon.

If the 44-year-old is to make a winning start to his temporary tenure in charge of the Red Devils, he must unleash one player who could be the club’s own version of Semenyo.

The United player who could be United’s own Semenyo

As part of the summer spending spree at United, the hierarchy invested over £200m worth of funds into improving the attacking department at the Theatre of Dreams.

The likes of Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo all made the move to Manchester, subsequently forming a new attacking trio in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system.

However, the partnership is yet to ignite in the ongoing campaign, as seen by their tally of just 14 goals between them in the first 21 games of the campaign.

Mbeumo is currently the top scorer out of the aforementioned trio, with the Cameroonian international currently sat on six goals from his 16 outings.

He’s subsequently been missing for the last couple of weeks after representing his nation at the African Cup of Nations, but he could be in line for a return to action for the Red Devils this weekend.

However, Carrick should look past Mbeumo and hand a start to Amad Diallo, who too has been away from Manchester as he looked to secure another trophy for his country.

The Ivorian has often been forced to play in a wing-back role at Old Trafford in recent months, but the appointment of the 44-year-old could hand him a chance to feature in his natural right-wing role.

Despite his position change, he’s been in tremendous form so far this campaign, arguably being the club’s closest talent to new City star, Semenyo.

When comparing their respective stats, Amad has managed to outperform him in numerous key areas, showing why he could be the Red Devils’ very own version of the £65m signing.

The Ivorian, who’s been dubbed “phenomenal” by Dev Bajwa, has registered more progressive passes and more passes into the final third per 90 so far this campaign.

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Such numbers highlight the creative outlet the 23-year-old possesses, with the Red Devils already being the home to one incredibly talented young prospect.

How Amad & Semenyo compare in the PL (2025/26)

Statistics (per 90)

Amad

Semenyo

Games played

15

20

Goals & assists

4

13

Progressive passes

3.6

3.4

Pass accuracy

85%

68%

Key passes

2.1

1.2

Passes into final third

1.3

1.1

Take-on success

48%

42%

Progressive carries

5.3

3.6

Passes into final third

2.5

1.6

Crosses completed

2.1

1.4

Stats via FBref

He’s also completed more key passes per 90, whilst completing more of the passes he’s attempted – subsequently possessing a skillset that has gone under the radar this campaign.

He’s also completed more of the take-ons he’s attempted, whilst making more progressive carries with the ball, subsequently allowing him to cause the opposition no end of problems.

Amad has also been able to add the end product to his mazy runs with the ball at his feet, as seen by his tally of crosses completed per 90 – a figure nearly two times higher than that of Semenyo.

All the aforementioned stats highlight the talent Amad currently possesses at Old Trafford, with the winger arguably a better option than Semenyo at present.

However, if the Ivorian is to reach his full potential, it’s crucial that Carrick utilises the attacker in his natural position, which could allow him to become their own version of the City star.

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2 ByEthan Lamb