Michael Carrick’s objective was to get Manchester United back into the Champions League. He’s achieved that, so should he now get the job permanently?
When Manchester United hired Michael Carrick as head coach until the end of the season in January, he essentially had one objective (partly because they were only in one competition…): qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
Sunday’s 3-2 win over bitter rivals Liverpool ensured that mission was accomplished with three matches to spare. And in fact, a draw at Old Trafford would’ve sufficed.
But at no point has anyone at United said the job would be Carrick’s beyond this season were he to get them back into the Champions League; all the noise in those early weeks indicated the former midfielder would be there until May, and that would probably be it.
However, so well has Carrick done that he is surely in contention to be head coach at United into next season.
It’s not clear-cut, though. Here, we look at the cases for and against appointing him on a full-time basis.
The Case Against Michael Carrick
There’s no question Carrick has done well and accomplished what was asked of him, but has he really done enough to lead Manchester United on a permanent basis?
Assuming United finish third, there’s not much more Carrick could’ve done this season. However, his managerial experience will still amount to just a few years in the Championship, and half a season at United.
Let’s forget Carrick’s obvious United affiliations for a second and pretend he’s accomplished exactly the same (so, secured Champions League qualification for a club who expects as much) during a brief four-month spell at a different team. Would he be in contention to take over permanently at Old Trafford? Almost certainly not.
To some, appointing Carrick into next season would be perceived as lacking ambition. Again, he’s done well, but United’s new ownership and hierarchy have routinely spoken about getting the club back to the standing it had before, so shouldn’t they be looking to hire the best they possibly can?
If United’s decision-makers are serious about their ambition, and if they want the best around, that would presumably lead them towards someone like Luis Enrique at Paris Saint-Germain.
We aren’t suggesting Luis Enrique would be realistic, nor are we saying he’d be unrealistic. But if United are still interested in hiring the “best in class” – as Sir Jim Ratcliffe said in February 2024 when constructing his management team – then the former Barcelona coach falls into that category. He should be a target on that basis.
Similarly, hiring Carrick wouldn’t be a move to cause particular concern to United’s rivals. How important this really is isn’t exactly clear, but it wouldn’t send shivers down the spines of those at Manchester City and Arsenal. Luis Enrique, for argument’s sake, probably would.
The point isn’t that Luis Enrique is the only coach who’d be a worthy target. He’s an extreme example, but there are others with strong reputations who’d likely be seen by rivals as comparably problematic.
Furthermore, we should point out as well that United’s performances haven’t exactly been perfect under Carrick. The chart below shows their xG figures have worsened recently, and their second-half display against Liverpool was alarming in how they completely lost control of the game at 2-0, with a lack of discipline in midfield a contributing factor.
United may also have ghosts of the past lingering at the back of their minds.
Appointing Carrick into next season would be right from the playbook of Ed Woodward, the much-maligned executive vice-chairman who left in 2022 after overseeing United’s slide into relative mediocrity (compared to what came before).
It was Woodward who hired Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on a caretaker basis before then handing him the job permanently. Although the Norwegian did fairly well in certain respects, there have always been lingering suspicions that a better manager and tactician could have taken United to another level in that period had they enjoyed the same backing as Solskjaer.
There was often a sense that decision making relating to Solskjaer came from the heart rather than the head; similar discussions will swirl if Carrick’s time is extended beyond this season.
The Case For Michael Carrick
It’s not just that Carrick has achieved the objective set out for him by securing Champions League qualification, but it’s also how authoritatively his team have gone about their business.
When he was appointed in January, United were seventh in the Premier League. While absolutely in contention for Champions League football, they were 11 points behind third-place Aston Villa and Manchester City in second.
Fast forward nearly four months and United are third, six points ahead of Villa and with Champions League participation assured with three games to spare. They’ve beaten all of the other members of the so-called ‘Big Six’, as well as each of the other current top-five teams.
Realistically, Carrick couldn’t have done a much better job.
Since his appointment, United have won more points (32) than any other team in the Premier League. Granted, Man City have played two fewer matches and, should they win their two games in hand, would have one point more than their neighbours. But either way, Carrick’s impact has been impressive.
Over the same period, leaders Arsenal have taken five points fewer than United, and it’s a spell that took the Red Devils from simply European contenders to being the first (beyond the two title challengers) to qualify for the Champions League.
The improvement inspired by Carrick is probably best highlighted by the chart below, which outlines their rolling points-per-game average.
It should also be remembered that Carrick is essentially working with the same players as Ruben Amorim was before him. But where the Portuguese coach rigidly stuck to certain principles, his successor has been adaptable, and largely played players in their best positions.
Ditching Amorim’s back-three system has allowed Bruno Fernandes to return to a free-roaming number 10 role, and he could be named Premier League Player of the Season.
Fernandes’ changed role has also meant Kobbie Mainoo has become an important figure again, producing numerous eye-catching displays and earning a new contract. It’s now (if it wasn’t already) astonishing to think how under-utilised he was by Amorim, and that his future had been in question.
Those two examples support a couple of theories: that Carrick and his staff have a good understanding of the players, and the players are behind Carrick.
In fact, Mainoo said after Sunday’s win over Liverpool that “you want to follow him and fight for him and die for [Carrick] on the pitch”. There’s probably no clearer indication of player support than that, even if it was from just a single player.
In that respect, keeping Carrick feels like a low-risk option. He knows the players, the environment, and is unlikely to ruffle any feathers, either in the squad or the boardroom. That will presumably appeal to decision-makers after Amorim.
And not unrelated to that, it’s difficult to imagine Carrick holding the club to ransom. Now somewhat cost conscious, as seen by their extensive internal cuts, United could likely get away with offering him a two-year deal that gives them a bit of an out if things don’t progress as hoped next season. Would, for example, Luis Enrique – or any other big-name coach – accept a two-year deal? Unlikely.
Carrick’s chances of landing the job beyond 2025-26 are probably helped considerably by the fact it’s a World Cup year. United have generated some momentum in 2026, and it’s unlikely they’ll be willing to jeopardise that by waiting until after the World Cup to appoint someone.
By that logic, you’d think United are likely to either hire someone who currently has a club job, or someone who’s already committed to leaving their current post by the end of June, if they do look externally.
Andoni Iraola is one such coach who springs to mind, but it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that United will have been put off hiring a young coach who’s supposedly the ‘next big thing’ after everything went so wrong with Amorim – even if Iraola is a completely different character and coach to Amorim.
Currently, Carrick has to be considered a contender at the very least. If he doesn’t get the job, it’ll probably mean the club never saw him as a realistic custodian in the long term because there’s not much more he could’ve done.
Enjoy this? Add Opta Analyst as a preferred source by clicking here.
Enjoy this? Subscribe to our football newsletter to receive exclusive weekly content. You should also follow our social accounts over on X, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.
