Published Sep 14, 2026, 6:40 AM GMT+1

His side fell to a 1-0 defeat against bitter rivals Manchester City yesterday evening, with the Red Devils having a man advantage for over an hour of the contest.

However, Enzo Maresca’s men managed to withstand the late pressure from the hosts, though they did only manage to register three shots on target during the entirety of the contest.

Many should have expected the story to have already been written before a ball was kicked, given the saga surrounding one player who started the local derby.

How Elliot Anderson dominated against Man Utd on Sunday

Throughout the entire build-up to the summer transfer window, United were at the front of the queue to secure the signature of Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest.

Carrick’s men were reluctant to spend over the odds to secure the signature of the England international, which saw City leapfrog the competition and secure a £116m deal for the 23-year-old.

He’s since become a regular starter for Maresca’s men this campaign, which saw him start the encounter against the Red Devils at Old Trafford yesterday afternoon.

The midfielder secured the Man of the Match award from Gary Neville as a result of his display, with his underlying stats showcasing his quality at both ends of the pitch.

Anderson had the most defensive contributions of any player on the pitch (13), whilst also covering the most distance of any player from either side (11.9km).

He won 78% of the ground duels he entered, whilst making six ball recoveries and three tackles - subsequently helping the visitors keep a clean sheet.

Even in possession, the former Forest star managed to catch the eye, subsequently completing seven line-breaking passes and completing 87% of the passes he attempted.

Why 4/10 Man Utd star had his worst game for the club

Anderson’s brilliance was certainly a factor in City’s triumph at Old Trafford, but Carrick will also be extremely disappointed by the performances of his United players.

The likes of Patrick Dorgu and Diogo Dalot both struggled to produce their best displays, which has seen huge criticism being directed their way by the supporters.

Bryan Mbeumo was another first-team member who failed to deliver the goods at Old Trafford, subsequently registering just 33% of his shots on target.

However, midfielder Youri Tielemans was arguably the player to struggle the most at the heart of the side, with the Belgian producing his worst performance since his summer move.

The 31-year-old, who joined from Aston Villa this summer, started at the base of the side alongside Kobbie Mainoo, but struggled to neutralise the threat of Anderson.

His underlying stats from the clash against City showcase his struggles, with the manager potentially needing to rejig his midfield puzzle in the weeks ahead.

Tielemans, who only featured for 67 minutes yesterday, failed to complete any of the dribbles he attempted and was unable to complete any of his attempted crosses.

Such numbers highlight his struggles with the ball at his feet, which saw the Red Devils being unable to break down the visitors’ resolve and fail to score for the second time this term.

He also managed to create just one chance during the narrow defeat, with he and Bruno Fernandes unable to unlock the opposition during the clash at Old Trafford.

Even without the ball, the Belgian was unable to catch the eye, subsequently making no ball recoveries and only being able to win three ground duels.

After such a showing, the midfielder was handed a 4/10 match rating, with such an outing undoubtedly the worst for the club after his move during the recent window.

As a result, Carrick should desperately be looking to drop the midfielder from his starting eleven, with the player clearly not suited to such games against top six opposition.

He certainly wasn’t the only player to disappoint, but his struggles saw Anderson take full advantage and showcase to the Red Devils faithful what they were missing.