Manchester United Face Major Setback as Dorgu Sidelined for 10 Weeks
Michael Carrick's impressive start as Manchester United's interim head coach has encountered its first significant obstacle. The club confirmed on Monday that Danish winger Patrick Dorgu will be unavailable for approximately ten weeks after sustaining a hamstring injury during their dramatic 3-2 victory against Arsenal.
This development represents a substantial blow to United's attacking options, particularly given Dorgu's transformative impact since Carrick assumed managerial duties. The 21-year-old had scored in both of Carrick's opening matches – the 2-0 triumph over Manchester City and the subsequent away win at the Emirates Stadium.
From Wing-Back to Winger: Dorgu's Remarkable Transformation
Under previous manager Ruben Amorim's 3-4-2-1 system, Dorgu operated primarily as a left wing-back with limited offensive influence. Carrick's tactical shift to a 4-2-3-1 formation has unleashed the young Dane's attacking potential, repositioning him as a left winger with devastating effect.
Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville captured this remarkable transformation perfectly: "Patrick Dorgu looked like such an average wing-back under Ruben Amorim. Further forward he looks like a completely and utterly different player."
The injury means United will likely be without their in-form winger for eight Premier League fixtures, with a potential return date pencilled in for the Leeds United clash on April 11th. Carrick, who had named identical starting line-ups for his first two matches, must now demonstrate his tactical flexibility.
Four Potential Solutions for Carrick's Selection Headache
1. Mason Mount: The Obvious Replacement
The most straightforward solution involves deploying Mason Mount in the left attacking midfield role. The England international possesses experience in this position from Amorim's tenure and naturally drifts inside onto his stronger right foot.
Mount, who replaced Bruno Fernandes during the Manchester derby before remaining an unused substitute against Arsenal, offers the positional discipline and work rate that has endeared him to previous United managers. His inclusion would likely require increased offensive contributions from left-back Luke Shaw to provide width.
Despite modest returns of seven goals and two assists across 66 appearances for the club, Mount represents a safe, experienced option during this transitional period.
2. Matheus Cunha: The Attacking Reshuffle
An alternative approach involves restructuring United's forward line. Bryan Mbeumo has excelled as the lone striker under Carrick, scoring in both victories, but Brazilian forward Matheus Cunha has made compelling cases for inclusion with impactful substitute appearances.
Cunha's spectacular winning goal at Arsenal – created through combination play with Kobbie Mainoo before curling into the bottom corner from distance – demonstrated his match-winning capabilities. While ideally suited to a central role behind a striker, the versatile attacker could operate from the left before cutting inside onto his dangerous right foot.
The 25-year-old has publicly expressed his desire for more starting opportunities, presenting Carrick with an intriguing selection dilemma.
3. Amad Diallo: The Positional Switch
United do possess a left-footed attacking option within their current starting eleven. Ivorian winger Amad Diallo typically prefers operating from the right flank before cutting inside, but could potentially be repositioned on the opposite wing to function as a more traditional wide player.
This tactical adjustment would enable Mbeumo to return to his familiar right-sided role from Amorim's system, with Cunha leading the line and Bruno Fernandes occupying the number ten position. Amad has previously demonstrated positional flexibility, having been deployed as a right wing-back during the previous regime.
However, Carrick may hesitate to implement multiple positional changes simultaneously, given his early success has stemmed from simplifying tactical instructions and maximising players' natural strengths.
4. Shea Lacey: The Academy Gamble
Carrick has consistently emphasised his commitment to Manchester United's youth development pathway, which suffered during Amorim's tenure. The former United midfielder maintains strong connections with the club's academy and will be acutely aware of 18-year-old Shea Lacey's considerable potential.
The talented winger has made two Premier League substitute appearances this season, though his involvement was curtailed by a red card during United's 2-1 FA Cup defeat to Brighton earlier this month. Like Amad, Lacey naturally favours the right wing before cutting inside onto his left foot, but could receive increased opportunities during Dorgu's absence.
This option represents the highest-risk approach but aligns with Carrick's stated philosophy of integrating promising academy products into the first-team environment.
Navigating the Injury Crisis
Carrick's selection options are further complicated by the unavailability of several other attacking players. Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford are currently on loan at Aston Villa and Barcelona respectively, while Alejandro Garnacho was sold to Chelsea for £40 million during the summer transfer window following disagreements with Amorim.
The interim manager must now balance tactical consistency with necessary adaptation as United prepare for their upcoming fixture against Fulham. With Dorgu's electrifying form having been instrumental to Carrick's perfect start, identifying an effective replacement represents the first major test of his fledgling managerial tenure at Old Trafford.
