According to Manchester Evening News, this season Manchester United leads the Premier League in touches inside the opponent's penalty area (182) and ranks second in shots on target, but their conversion rate is lower than teams like Brighton and Chelsea.

Manchester United has made an unsatisfactory start to the season, but there is no discussion about manager Erik ten Hag's position yet.

The old saying "the table doesn't lie" is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain as data takes on greater importance in football. While the final table after 38 matches can occasionally be misleading, after just 5 matches the table is full of anomalies and has little reference value.

Many in the industry prefer to wait at least 10 matches into the season before drawing conclusions from the table. Too many factors can create a false impression early on, especially after the summer break in a World Cup year.

Manchester United certainly hopes this is the case. By the first international break, Garnacho's team had collected just 5 points from 5 matches, sitting in 12th place.

For Manchester United, the biggest problem is that their early schedule hasn't actually been that difficult, yet Carrick has consistently emphasized that the team has been let down by fine margins. Two controversial Everton goals and Manchester City's winning goal, which arguably shouldn't have been allowed, are prime examples.

Undoubtedly, Manchester United will also carefully analyze the data to see if the statistics align with what the eye test shows; Omar Berrada and football director Jason Wilcox are monitoring this closely. Since INEOS's takeover, Manchester United has significantly invested in its data and AI department, headed by Michael Sansoni, the former head of data at Mercedes F1.

A University of Southampton graduate, Sansoni is certainly capable of helping Manchester United tell a story of "bad luck" and provide the foundation for a "trust Carrick, it will pay off" narrative. The 45-year-old manager is not yet fighting for his job, but pressure has noticeably increased this season.

However, Carrick's claim that Manchester United has been unlucky with fine margins this season is not without merit. Although they already trail Manchester City by 10 points, the data tells a more positive story.

No Premier League team has more touches in the opponent's penalty area this season than Manchester United, with 182. In accurate passes, they rank second. This indicates that Carrick's possession philosophy is gradually taking root in the team.

Manchester United's shots on target also rank second in the league, but their conversion rate (7.1%) is significantly lower than several comparable teams: Brighton 16.8%, Manchester City 19.1%, Chelsea 13.9%.

In expected goals (xG), Manchester United ranks fourth with 9.9, but has only scored 8 goals. Based on the xG differential, they should have a net gain of 3.3 goals, but actually have 0, indicating that Manchester United is scoring too few and conceding too many.

Carrick hopes this statistic will eventually normalize. As the season progresses, the true league position will increasingly align with what the data reflects.

This message will likely also be conveyed by analysts in the data lab at Old Trafford. The current concern is that as pressure mounts and morale declines, these positive statistical signals could gradually fade. But for now, Manchester United still has grounds for optimism, and the club remains willing to back Carrick.

Переведено ИИ.

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