Rooney tells Carrick he dropped a ‘Brilliant’ star to the bench as Man Utd coach given selection headache

Wayne Rooney heaps praise on Manchester United forward Matheus Cunha , who put on a show after coming off the bench in the Derby.

Michael Carrick was handed a daunting task on his managerial debut, as the Red Devils hosted Manchester City at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Nevertheless, United put on one of the most scintillating displays in recent years, outplaying Pep Guardiola’s men en route towards a commanding 2-0 victory. The result would have been larger if it weren’t for three marginal offside positions.

Even before a ball was kicked, Carrick had already raised eyebrows with his team selection . The 44-year-old decided to drop Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko, fielding Bryan Mbeumo in the striker role, supported by Amad Diallo and Patrick Dorgu.

The new manager’s choice paid dividends, with Mbeumo making an immediate impact following his return from AFCON by scoring the opener.

(Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)

The Cameroonian then made way for Cunha, who was influential in the final third. The former Wolves star provided the assist for Dorgu’s strike, as well as Mason Mount’s disallowed goal.

Therefore, Rooney was mesmerised by the Brazilian, who wasn’t only productive upfront, but also in the defensive phase.

“I thought Cunha came on and was brilliant,” said the iconic Man Utd striker during his appearance on BBC Sport .

“I saw him blocking a shot on the edge of the box and then running forward. I thought his attitude when he came on was excellent.”

Following Cunha’s exceptional cameo, Carrick has been handed a selection dilemma. While the left-footed attacking trio of Amad, Mbeumo and Dorgu paid dividends, the Brazilian displayed the sort of quality that warrants a starting role.

Normally, this is the sort of ‘problem’ that every Man Utd manager relishes, as having top-notch options allows him to rotate his starting lineup without jeopardising the quality.

But the issue facing United is their extremely light schedule, which has limited the playing opportunities for several players this season.

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While Kobbie Mainoo was the biggest victim of Man Utd’s lack of commitment during Ruben Amorim’s reign, perhaps others will suffer similar fates under Carrick, perhaps the likes of Cunha, Sesko and Mason Mount.