Most of United's nine Barclays Premier League title triumphs under Sir Alex Ferguson have been based on the type of flair and entertainment Roman Abramovich craves at Chelsea.
While those ideals have not been abandoned by Ferguson and his team, the platform for their current five-match winning streak has been provided by the type of defensive solidity that would make Jose Mourinho proud.
Sunday's shutout of Chelsea at Old Trafford completed a run of five successive clean sheets.
Manchester City's Geovanni is the last person to score against United, with a deflected effort which shot past Edwin van der Sar eight and a half hours of match time ago.
It represents United's best run for over two years, and has seen them rise from second bottom prior to the home win over Tottenham to second from the top, below only Arsenal.
And with an array of attacking talent including Wayne Rooney, Louis Saha, Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo to call on, United do not expect it to be too long before they start hitting the net with greater regularity than they are at present.
Honours
However, Carrick thinks it is what happens at the back that will determine how successful Ferguson's team are in their quest for honours.
"Five clean sheets on the trot is a great achievement," he said.
"I know we play good football with plenty of flair but a lot of our game is based on how we defend.
"The back four and Edwin van der Sar have had a lot of credit lately and rightly so.
"But right from the front, I think everyone is doing their job defensively really well. We are very solid and we want to continue that because we will always create chances with the forward players we have."
Having condemned Chelsea to a second defeat in three games - a run which has seen them pick up only one point - the table certainly looks far rosier than it did a month ago.
Ironically, United have not quite managed to reproduce the same flowing form they produced in those early days, when results went so badly wrong.
But even as they were staring up unhappily from the foot of the table, Carrick confirmed there was no hint of desperation within the Old Trafford ranks.
"It was so early in the season, we just felt it was important to keep on doing what we had been," he said.
"We were playing well enough, we just had to wait until the results turned around.
"We got on to a run of 1-0s and it looked like it was going to be the same against Chelsea. But we finally got another one, so we will take that and move on."
What do you think is the strongest area of United's team? Have your say.
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Where`s Mike the football prophet who proclaimed the Russian would score 3 goals? No idea of football and very boring...
probably sitting in the corner with his blue teddy bear!
Sir Booby Charlton needs to take Carrick aside regarding long range shooting.
Carrick has a great shot and scored at least three great goals with his long range shooting last season (2 against Roma). Moreover, defences expect him to pass.
More running and shooting outside the box please.
Being strong defensively is all good but not if it makes us play like Chelsea or Liverpool. Having a great back four, VDS finding his old self again and Hargreaves playing like he's done so far will hopefullyl give our forwards enough confidence and freedom to really flourish. I see an English Milan in the making - only more entertaining due to the pace and agressiveness of the english game combined with flair and individual skills that this squad has heaps of.
BRAVO on the Chelsea win.
I agree with Roy. No one seems want to take a shot when there is an opening. Deflected goals count too. We got a few going in against us.
Carrick, Scholes & Ronaldo can shoot from outside the box and they should.
We should be thinking about the team for Coventry.
Kit Kat, Nev. Pique, Evans JOS. Eagles, OH Carrick Nani. Tevez and Brandy. Giggs and Scholes at home watching telly. 1-0 United. Couple of safety nets on the bench. Looks like Rio may need a rest after the Chelsea game.
MC is only half right. Defence does create offence only half the time. It's true that you can't attack as a team if your back line is leaky and ou can't put sustained pressure up front without a good defence. However, it's equally important to recognize that our opponents' defence also dare not move too far up for fear of our potent offence. Moral of the story is we have a great team. Go MU!
Mike the football prophet has come down with a nasty case of 'blue tongue' disease. I believe sheep are extremely prone to it...