Michael Carrick says Manchester United must tighten up at the back as they face Como in the Champions League.
Michael Carrick knows where Manchester United's season can be turned around: at the back. The United boss is pushing for more clean sheets as his side prepare for a Champions League meeting with Como.
The message is simple. Shutting out the opposition gives a team a platform to build on. Every game that ends without a goal conceded lets United's attackers play with more freedom, and it takes pressure off the side when the game gets tight.
European nights tend to expose defensive lapses. Concentration, organisation and discipline without the ball matter as much as quality in the final third. For Carrick, a solid shape and fewer gifts to opponents are the quickest way to steady the ship and build momentum.
Como will bring their own ambitions to the tie, so United will need to be switched on from the first whistle. A tidy, resolute performance would be a strong first step, and Carrick will be hoping it is the start of a longer run of clean sheets.
