Mason Mount's unexpected injury during preseason inadvertently prompted manager Michael Carrick to redesign Manchester United 's tactical plans. Ahead of their Premier League opening match against Hull City, the Red Devils' coaching staff found a complete midfield lineup: a combination of two new signings, Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos.
From Mason Mount's mishap to a breakthrough tactical decision.
Initially, manager Michael Carrick's midfield development strategy relied on a combination of Andrey Santos' youth and Mason Mount's experience. In the first three friendly matches, the duo worked well together, helping Manchester United's midfield function relatively smoothly. Mount's positive performance even led the INEOS group's management to consider postponing the recruitment of another central midfielder.
However, Mount's early departure due to injury in the match against Paris Saint-Germain completely changed the situation. Although the management immediately restarted their search for a pure defensive midfielder, coach Carrick quickly shifted his focus to building the team's play around Youri Tielemans.
Superior technical thinking and ability to escape pressing.
The conventional wisdom is that Manchester United need a physically strong, muscular midfielder to control the midfield. However, expert assessments suggest that Tielemans and Santos are more likely to be the first-choice central midfielders for the season opener.
Both are players who operate with technical intelligence and precise passing skills. Their quick reaction time and ability to execute high-difficulty passes allow the Red Devils to build up play smoothly from the back. Instead of relying on a purely defensive machine, Carrick's system focuses on dominating and regaining control through vision and the ability to escape pressing.
With 54 minutes of active play following the World Cup for Belgium, Tielemans played a sharp, attacking role. Meanwhile, Andrey Santos brought abundant energy, acting as a modern anchor to constantly circulate the ball and control the tempo of the game.
Evaluating his two new players, coach Michael Carrick couldn't hide his satisfaction. Commenting on Andrey Santos, he emphasized:
"For a young player who has just joined the team, his personality and maturity are truly amazing. He is very positive, always focused, eager to learn, and communicates very well on the pitch. Santos's personality brings real value to the entire team."
Speaking about Tielemans' situation, the English manager affirmed:
"Youri's case is clearer because everyone has seen him play so much. He possesses top-class presence, composure, and technical quality. The understanding of teamwork and the ability of this duo to connect will give us great attacking power in the future."
A test against AC Milan and squad depth.
The next test for the Tielemans-Santos duo will be the clash against Ruben Amorim's AC Milan in the final friendly match. This is a crucial opportunity for coach Carrick to assess his squad and fine-tune their coordination before officially embarking on the Premier League campaign.
Furthermore, the return of Kobbie Mainoo provides more quality personnel options, increasing positive competition in the midfield. If Tielemans and Santos continue to maintain their understanding, Manchester United can confidently control the game with a technically gifted midfield in the new season.