Carrick silences doubters as Man Utd close on Champions League
The calmness previously viewed as an asset became a negative. Inaction was seen as conservative. All week the question has been asked, is Carrick up to the job?
Well, there was nothing aesthetically pleasing about this latest triumph. But given only Ole Gunnar Solskjaer of all the post-Sir Alex Ferguson bosses had experienced the feeling of winning at Stamford Bridge, style was a secondary element. Chelsea may have hit the woodwork three times.
They may have carried the more consistent threat. But Carrick's team was the one that delivered. "It was a game for a result," he said.
"And we managed to find it. " There was more to it though. There was overcoming the adversity of knowing that on top of the three central defenders he knew would be missing (Matthijs de Ligt through injury and Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire due to suspension), Carrick then lost a fourth, Leny Yoro, to a training ground injury.
That came so late in the week his chosen pairing, Noussair Mazraoui and Ayden Heaven, could only prepare with walk-throughs. "I love when you see players thrive in those moments," said Carrick. Heaven, 19, had not started a game under Carrick, having first been given his chance by Ruben Amorim and then his immediate replacement Darren Fletcher.