Manchester United’s results under Michael Carrick show a consistent pattern: the team averages fewer points per game when they have more than 50% of the ball than when they spend less time in possession. According to the figures cited, United average 1.5 points per game with greater than 50% possession, compared with 2.6 points per game when they have under 50%.
Both outlets present the same underlying data and frame it as a reason United appear “better without the ball.” The BBC and Yahoo Sports do not dispute the numbers, but they highlight the statistic to explain how United’s match performance may depend more on effectiveness in the phases when opponents have the ball, rather than on controlling possession themselves.
