In the match programme for this game, Michael Carrick’s importance to the team was borne out by a statistical analysis which showed that United win 71 per cent of games with the England midfielder and a mere 43 per cent of fixtures without him.
Carrick missed this game though, just as he missed the recent defeats at Chelsea and Everton, and his absence was felt with the lack of drive and forward thinking in the centre of the pitch.
The 33-year-old’s value to Louis van Gaal becomes more evident with every game he misses because neither Ander Herrera or Daley Blind possess Carrick’s qualities.
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