Gary Neville admitted that Michael Carrick's decision to revert to Ruben Amorim's back three system was "cheeky" but ultimately "paid off" as Manchester United secured a crucial 2-1 victory over Brentford on Monday night.
How United Secured the Win
The Red Devils strengthened their hold on a Champions League place with the victory, moving 11 points clear of sixth-placed rivals with just four games remaining. Goals from Casemiro and Benjamin Sesko put United in control, but a late strike from Mathias Jensen in the 87th minute set up a nervy finish.
To see out the game, Carrick introduced Leny Yoro for Luke Shaw, forming a back three alongside Harry Maguire and Ayden Heaven. This tactical shift mirrored the system used under Amorim, which had been widely criticised and unsuccessful during his tenure.
Neville's Verdict
Speaking on his podcast, Neville said: "It was a really pragmatic safe way. We've won the game already, Brentford look quite dangerous and they're creating a lot of chances going forward so we need to nullify that and to be fair they did that in the second-half.
"Little bit cheeky going to Ruben Amorim's system, the 5-2-3, but these players have played that a lot this season and they know it and I think the extra player at the back paid off. Man Utd didn't concede because of the extra player, it was more the midfield didn't quite get to Jensen. I think the Man Utd fans understood what he was doing in the second-half, they understood that their team were winning 2-0 but it could easily have been 2-2."
Carrick's Impact
Since taking charge in January, Carrick has enjoyed significant success by playing players in their preferred positions. United were not expected to challenge for Champions League qualification but have done so under his guidance. However, Carrick remained cautious about the achievement.
"The Champions League is one thing but it's not something that we should be over-celebrating either," he said. "We want to be challenging higher up the league and get more points. Our season doesn't get to a close when [Champions League qualification] happens. It is one thing, we need to try and achieve it but there is still more work to be done."
The win leaves United firmly in control of their Champions League destiny, with Carrick's tactical flexibility proving key in a tense finish at Brentford.
