#996 | Ten points clear of Chelsea with five games left. A gritty, utterly necessary win at Stamford Bridge. United's return to the Champions League is no longer a question of whether, but when. Dan and Dharnish unpack all you need to know. With Martínez and Maguire suspended, Carrick turned to an Ayden Heaven and Noussair Mazraoui as the centre-back pairing. In front of them, Kobbie Mainoo delivered the standout performance of the afternoon alongside Casemiro, whose is giving us quite the farewell tour Carrick has imposed a more compact press and restored a mentality that had gone missing. Control in games remains the next hurdle, but the case for giving him the job permanently, barring a genuinely elite alternative, is getting harder to argue against. There's also plenty to think about in the summer - United's imperfect front three, Amad's end-product problem, and the summer recruitment required across defence, midfield and on the wing. Brentford is up next. 00:00 Introduction - Almost Back in the Champions League 02:03 Team Selection vs Chelsea 02:09 Maguire and Martinez Suspensions 06:43 Kobbie Mainoo's Performance 10:23 Casemiro's Legacy 24:52 Carrick's Record - Should He Get the Job? 41:55 Looking Ahead: Brentford and Season Run-in 46:21 Final Thoughts If you are interested in supporting the show and accessing a weekly exclusive bonus episode, check out our ⁠Patreon page⁠ or subscribe on ⁠Apple⁠ Podcasts. Supporter funded episodes are ad-free. NQAT is available on all podcast apps and in video on ⁠YouTube⁠. Hit that subscribe button, leave a rating and write a review on ⁠Apple⁠ or ⁠Spotify⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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