'We're a lot better in both boxes': Why Harry Maguire is right about Man Utd under Michael Carrick

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Well, at least that was the theory put forward by United centre-back Harry Maguire in an interview with Sky Sports after their 2-1 home victory against Brentford on Monday night. “We’re a lot better in both boxes. We’re defending our box a lot better, and we’re managing to be clinical in the other box,” Maguire said. United have won a Premier League-high 29 points since Carrick took over following Ruben Amorim’s sacking in early January, climbing from sixth to third and are firmly on course for Champions League qualification with four games to go. That this uptick in form would coincide with improvements at the sharp ends of the pitch is hardly revolutionary thinking, but Maguire offered some interesting specifics on the reasons behind it. In attack, United have scored a league-leading 21 goals from inside the opponents’ 18-yard box since Carrick came in, scoring at a rate of 1.6 per game, up from their 1.3 under Amorim earlier this season. Their expected-goals (xG) numbers, which measure chance quality, are almost a mirror image of that trend, dropping from 1.6 to 1.2 and indicating they actually created more in the box while the Portuguese was in charge. The difference, as Maguire pointed out, is that United “are managing to be clinical” under interim head coach Carrick. The graphic below shows that United’s 10-game rolling goals from inside the box have consistently been above their expected levels since he stepped in, a sharp reversal of the wasteful close-range finishing that came before. Part of this may simply be the result of a short-term hot streak, but it is hard to ignore the impact of the more positive atmosphere Carrick has created at Old Trafford, with United’s players looking more confident in front of goal. This is particularly true of Benjamin Sesko, who scored their second against Brentford. That goal reflected his more composed general demeanour, as he took an extra touch after collecting Bruno Fernandes’ pass, anticipated Nathan Collins’ slide, and rifled a shot past Caoimhin Kelleher. After his €76.5million (£66.4m; $89.1m) move from RB Leipzig in the summer, Sesko looked burdened by that price tag and flustered in front of goal, but now he is transformed, crediting Carrick after the Brentford game with “bringing a different energy” to the club. The 22-year-old Slovenia international has now scored six times from an xG of 2.93 under the former United and England midfielder — the third-highest overperformance in the Premier League over that period and indicative of this new-found confidence. At the other end, Maguire pointed to a more concrete reason for their improved defensive solidity: the switch to a back four under Carrick. “The results speak for themselves since the manager has come in and the formation has changed,” he said. Against Brentford, United actually shifted into a back three, the system so staunchly favoured by Amorim throughout his 14 months in charge, in the second half but the intentions were different than they’d been under him. This was a defensive setup designed to hold onto hat was a two-goal lead at the time, rather than their default approach. Amorim’s more proactive use of the system, with the wing-backs pushed high, often left United exposed on the break. Since Carrick took over and reverted to a back four, the rate of counter-attacking shots conceded per game has fallen from 0.5 to 0.2. These are typically high-value chances, which partly explains the improvement in United’s box defending, as shown by the 10-game rolling xG conceded inside the penalty area below, which has remained below one throughout Carrick’s reign. In an otherwise upbeat interview, Maguire expressed mild annoyance with United’s defending outside the box for Brentford’s late consolation by Mathias Jensen. “We’ve got to get out there a bit quicker to block the shot,” he said. But improved shot-blocking has also played a key role in United’s defensive solidity under Carrick. Last season, United players got in the way of just 10.7 per cent of the xG they faced, the lowest rate in the Premier League. That trend has reversed, rising to 18.1 per cent so far in 2025-26. Most of that shift can be attributed to the new coaching regime: during the first 20 games under Amorim, United still only blocked 13 per cent of the xG they faced, but they have improved to 27 per cent during Carrick’s tenure. Zooming in further on blocks within the penalty area, Maguire’s comments are vindicated again. United are now charging down a higher share of chances across the box, with the biggest gains in vulnerable central areas, where the share of xG blocked has increased from 10 per cent to 23 per cent. Part of that is undoubtedly down to Maguire himself, who told The Athletic in early April that he is “arguably one of the best defenders in the world in both boxes”, and has an innate ability for repelling danger through last-ditch blocks and towering headers. But their solidity extends beyond the 33-year-old Yorkshireman alone, and Carrick deserves credit for transforming the collective defensive unit. The underlying numbers strengthen his case to get the job on a full-time basis in the summer. From a leaky defence and a misfiring attack, United have become one of the Premier League’s best sides under his guidance. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms