Carrick Lands First Win as United Boss With 5-0 Rosenborg Rout
Michael Carrick secured his first win as permanent manager of Manchester United with a 5-0 victory over Rosenborg in a pre-season friendly. The match showcased an evolving tactical approach that emphasizes possession and fluid build-up play alongside traditional transition speed.
Why it matters
Signals a potential shift in Manchester United's tactical identity under new permanent leadership, impacting the club's competitive outlook for the upcoming season.
Carrick Lands First Win as United Boss With 5-0 Rosenborg Rout Stretty News Sat, July 25, 2026 at 12:30 PM UTC · 4 min read Manchester United put in their most convincing performance of the 2026/27 pre-season on Friday, dismantling Norwegian side Rosenborg 5-0 in Trondheim to hand Michael Carrick his first win as permanent manager – and raise genuine questions about what his evolved style of play will look like
The result arrived six days after a chastening defeat to Wrexham, which made the manner of this win as important as the scoreline. United controlled large spells without Fernandes or Cunha in the side, showed fluency in both build-up and transition, and gave several academy graduates a stage to do something memorable on.
Sky Sports journalist Callum Bishop covered the five key talking points from Trondheim in full.
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