Manchester United produced “one of their most courageous performances” at Chelsea, insists Jamie Carragher

Jamie Carragher praised Manchester United’s performance at Chelsea as “one of the club’s most courageous displays” that he saw without the ball, but took aim at the defensive tactics of former coach José Mourinho in the process.

United have recorded goalless draws on five occasions against other teams that make up the top six so far this season, and have scored only once in seven games after Bruno Fernandes’ penalty against Tottenham.

That lap saw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team questioned due to a lack of success in games against his immediate rivals in 2020-21.

But speaking to Sky Sports Monday Night Football, former Liverpool defender Carragher insists that the display in the goalless draw at Stamford Bridge showed courage that was not in evidence during Mourinho’s 2016-2018 term in matching games.

‘We were very critical of him [Mourinho] on this show as a manager of Manchester United ‘, he said. ‘When we talk about going ahead, I think there is a difference between what you do with the ball and what you do outside it.

‘And when we criticized José in the past, it was almost because when they didn’t have the ball, he was a six-quarterback. It was very profound.

‘I think this was one of the most courageous and strongest that I saw Manchester United without the ball. I thought they were very brave in this game.

‘I thought they were very brave in the front, pressing, man to man, across the field. But in that final third, they just didn’t have that quality and that is a problem. ‘

Former United star Mark Hughes has recruited Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to sign a striker in the summer due to Edinson Cavani’s age and lack of alternatives.

And Carragher agrees with the former striker, believes that names like Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood are struggling to score in crucial games and therefore the club must prioritize a central striker before returning to Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho .

‘I would not describe Solskjaer as a defensive coach. I know that these results are similar to those of other coaches. But this is a guy who played for Manchester United in this type of team.

‘I don’t recognize him as that type of manager – now I really think it’s a quality issue. So, when I talk about being with the front foot, it is easier to be with the front foot without the ball.

‘It is easy for a manager to organize this and say where you want to put pressure and we have criticized the teams in this program where they fall deeply, two groups of four and they can’t get out.

‘This, for me, is when the ball really goes to the players in front – is there enough quality?

‘You said that they are the Premier League’s top scorers, but do they have that player to score in the decisive games, that player who will take them to the league title?

‘And when I see that, people talk about Manchester United, they need a right winger, they bet on Sancho, they need a striker more than anything.’