‘Exactly what we hoped for’ – Carrick hails new Man Utd signing

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has heaped praise on summer signing Youri Tielemans following the Red Devils’ 1-1 draw with Leeds in the Premier League on Sunday.

Carrick finds himself under increasing pressure in his role as United have won only two of their ten competitive matches this season, but the Englishman has found a positive in the form of Tielemans.

Amid criticism from Lisandro Martinez of the club’s signing policy, the manager offered a public defence of director of football Jason Wilcox, saying the Belgian midfielder is ‘exactly’ what the Old Trafford side ‘hoped for’.

Carrick on Tielemans: He’ll do anything you ask him

Speaking to the media after the Red Devils were pegged back at Elland Road having taken the lead through Bryan Mbeumo, Carrick said of Tielemans: “I’ve been really impressed with Youri. He’s exactly what we thought and hoped for, bringing him into the group.

“I think his experience, his presence, his personality. Youri’s definitely one of those where he’ll do anything you ask him for the benefit of the team.

“He’s got a huge amount of experience, and he was right there today again at the front of it, leading the team.

“We’ve got some really good experienced players, and he’s definitely added to that.”

Why is Tielemans so important to Man Utd?

Tielemans was signed to be a player capable of setting a tempo for United in the midfield with his passing.

His impact is primarily expected to be in the platform he sets for others to impress further up the field. His impact as an orchestrator of United’s attack from deep is underlined with an average of 70.7 touches per match and 51 accurate passes with an accuracy of 89%.

Goals and assists should follow in a steady drip, meanwhile. Tielemans already has three decisive passes since arriving at Man Utd, having posted at least nine direct goal involvements in each of his three seasons at Aston Villa. The 29-year-old is already on course to match that barring any injury issues.

Carrick using Tielemans as Wilcox defence?

While United invested heavily in their midfield this summer, signing Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba as well as Tielemans, there were notably no further additions elsewhere in the squad.

“We have to bring in more players to compete,” Lisandro Martinez told Amazon Prime after United were beaten by Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last week. “I expect more from our technical director, I have to be honest.”

The Argentine was criticised in the aftermath of this outburst, yet it also drew a suggestion from Carrick that United are seeking to bolster their squad in January.

"When the next transfer window comes, you want to plan and you want to make the best of it," Carrick told Sky Sports.

“Whatever that looks like at this stage, we don't quite know. But without doubt, there's opportunity because the transfer window is open. So we'll definitely be looking at that and trying to come out stronger in whatever way that looks like.

“For all of us, we're striving to get to the top and we're building. We're acknowledging that we're building and we're coming from behind. That's pretty obvious, it's factual. We're all pushing to get there. No one more so than me.”