It was after Manchester United's first game against West Ham this season that Ruben Amorim let his guard down on Kobbie Mainoo. The rationale, in Amorim's mind, for why he was repeatedly being asked by the media why he hardly used Mainoo. In a chat with his brother Graeme for the Football Association before he left United in 2018, Carrick himself explained the subtleties of a "great pass". If they have to take a touch and another touch to get hold of the ball, it is not a great pass. "It is a great pass if the next part is how you see it in your head."

Source: BBC February 10, 2026 06:25 UTC