Wayne Rooney suggests Jose Mourinho blueprint to solve Michael Carrick's Man Utd bugbear

Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney believes the squad’s work rate points to a fundamental tactical problem that Michael Carrick must address urgently.

A graphic shown on Match of the Day at the weekend revealed that United have covered fewer miles than their opponents in every Premier League match this season bar one.

The statistic underlines the side’s sluggish start to the campaign, with the club languishing 13th in the Premier League table.

United outrun in all but one league fixture

United's shortcomings were again on show in a chaotic 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford.

Bryan Mbeumo put United ahead against the run of play, but Spurs, despite being reduced to 10 men after Rodrigo Bentancur's dismissal, controlled much of the contest before Dominic Solanke’s late equaliser earned them a point.

Rooney argued that his former club have grown too comfortable sitting in a passive shape and allowing opponents to gain territory.

"I think in a lot of games, they've been happy to go into a mid-block,” he explained.

As such, the absence of sufficient defensive intensity means opposing midfielders can dictate the tempo with little resistance.

What's going wrong for Manchester United? ? Wayne Rooney breaks down why they're struggling to put pressure on their opponents ?️ https://t.co/B9QRVO7CrH
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) October 12, 2026

Rooney demands aggressive mid-block approach for Man Utd

To explain the necessary tactical evolution, Rooney drew comparisons with the disciplined mid-block constructed by Jose Mourinho during his first managerial spell at Chelsea.

The former forward explained that an effective mid-block requires players to aggressively confront the ball rather than merely drifting across zones.

"If you think back to Jose Mourinho and his first Chelsea team, they were a mid-block team, but when the ball got moved side to side, they were aggressive," Rooney explained.

"Right now, United are in a mid-block, but they are not getting up to the ball. That means they are not a difficult side to play against."

United face Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night, seeking their first win in five matches, followed by a fierce domestic showdown against Leeds United.