Manchester United has not defeated all its "Big Six" rivals in a single season for three years; however, interim head coach Michael Carrick has the opportunity to achieve this with a win against Liverpool on Sunday. Should his squad accomplish this and secure third place in the Premier League, his suitability for the managerial role next season would be undeniable.
Carrick's tenure began with a commanding victory over Manchester City at Old Trafford, followed by his team becoming the first in Europe this season to win an away match against Arsenal. A subsequent win against Tottenham, despite their relegation struggle, extended their winning streak to four, though draws against West Ham and Bournemouth, and losses to Newcastle and Leeds, tempered initial excitement.
Carrick's campaign regained momentum with their first victory at Chelsea in six years, and a win against Brentford on Monday brought United close to securing a top-five finish and a spot in the Champions League. Despite a poor season with ten defeats, Liverpool, similar to Chelsea, are still the reigning champions and United's primary rivals, making Sunday's fixture highly important for Carrick.
The interim manager is expected to receive a new contract irrespective of the outcome against Arne Slot's team, but a win would undoubtedly confirm his new agreement.
More points than other PL coaches
The team's performance is evident: United has recorded eight wins, two draws, and two losses in 12 games under Carrick. The 26 points accumulated since his mid-January appointment would have placed them at the top of the Premier League if the season had started then.
In comparison, Ruben Amorim had secured 31 points from 20 league games before his dismissal. Under Carrick, United has scored 24 goals and conceded 14, resulting in a goal difference of 10. Amorim's team, by contrast, had scored 34 goals and conceded 30, with a goal difference of four. Furthermore, United concluded the prior season under Amorim in 15th place, with a goal difference of negative 10.
The players appear to have a strong relationship with Carrick, though it's acknowledged they might not express dissatisfaction if it existed. Nevertheless, there seems to be a noticeable improvement in the coach's rapport with the squad compared to his Portuguese predecessor.
Bryan Mbeumo stated last month that Carrick "knows how to talk to us." Amad Diallo further commented, "He’s been doing so much for the team, he has a lot of experience and he knows the club and has the DNA also. We think he’s the right man and we are really happy about what he is doing right now."
A notable aspect of Carrick's approach, unlike Amorim who labeled his team the club's worst ever, is his dissatisfaction with the current progress. Despite nearly guaranteeing Champions League qualification with the Brentford victory, he emphasized that this was not a significant accomplishment, recalling that as a player, United consistently aimed to win both the Premier League and Champions League annually.
Carrick remarked, "The Champions League is one thing but it’s not something that we should be over-celebrating either. We want to be challenging higher up the league and get more points. I think next season you look at it we’ve got to be in the bracket where, if we get the recruitment right and everything’s positive from now to the end of this season, there’s no ceiling of where we can reach. We’re in a strong position now. Come February, March, we don’t want to be adrift like we have been this year. We’ve got to be in the conversation to go and win the big trophies."
Good results, but inconsistent performances
Despite his excellent four-month record and guiding United back to the Champions League after a three-year absence, a subtle skepticism persists among many United supporters regarding Carrick's ability to elevate the team further.
Should Sir Jim Ratcliffe approve his continuation, Carrick faces a significant challenge to avoid repeating the trajectory of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Although the outcomes have been positive, the performances have not consistently matched them. A critical view might suggest that the only truly outstanding displays were in the initial two matches against City and Arsenal, with the Arsenal victory aided by two spectacular long-range goals from Patrick Dorgu and Matheus Cunha.
The win against Tottenham was influenced by Cristian Romero's red card, similar to the comeback victory over Crystal Palace, where Maxence Lacroix conceded a penalty and was dismissed after a contentious VAR decision.
Lammens' crucial saves
Goalkeeper Senne Lammens was named Player of the Match during the Everton win, and while Casemiro received the award against Brentford, Lammens, the Belgian goalkeeper, also presented a compelling case for it.
In the match against Leeds, the team only started performing in the second half after being reduced to ten players. Conversely, against Newcastle, they could not capitalize on the Magpies having a player sent off, ultimately losing in a way that recalled the home defeat to Everton under Amorim.
Carrick has also faced criticism for his delayed responses to evolving match situations with substitutions, especially against West Ham. He adopted a more proactive strategy against Brentford, introducing Noussair Mazraoui for Amad at halftime, though this substitution, aimed at closing out the game, was not typically favored by United supporters.
The interim manager has benefited from a less demanding fixture list, and a number of fans believe he has not established a distinct team identity, despite having additional training time.
Limited availability of top candidates
However, a scarcity of top-tier candidates, with Luis Enrique and Thomas Tuchel unavailable, has led many to conclude that Carrick could be the sensible interim choice. The only other individuals seriously considered are Julian Nagelsmann, who is contracted to Germany until 2028, and Andoni Iraola.
The Basque coach presents an attractive alternative, as he is soon to be a free agent, and The Telegraph reported recently that he has emerged as a late contender against Carrick. Iraola has achieved remarkable success with Bournemouth, consistently selling key players while still implementing an exciting football style.
The risk with Iraola is that he might struggle under the intense media scrutiny at Old Trafford, and a squad filled with prominent personalities might not fully embrace his tactical concepts as Bournemouth and his former club Rayo Vallecano did. Furthermore, if he were to fail at United, similar to Amorim, the club's decision-makers would face severe criticism for not retaining Carrick.
Current club requirements
Jamie Carragher accurately summarized the situation, writing in his recent Telegraph column, "No Premier League or Champions League rivals will be shuddering if Michael Carrick is leading Manchester United into next season. But as the United board considers its options, Carrick is the ideal choice to assume full control this summer because of what the club needs right here, right now."
Carrick offers United the benefit of his humility, acknowledging he is not yet an elite coach, and would probably agree to a two-year contract without excessive salary requests. This makes him an ideal match for Ratcliffe's cost-effective strategy for the club. His popularity among fans and his history as a crucial player in one of the club's finest teams also serve as an advantage, similar to Solskjaer, providing a more palatable face for a leadership many supporters strongly disapprove of.
Carrick's consistent management has effectively diverted attention from Ratcliffe, at least until Ratcliffe's next contentious interview. Therefore, while Carrick may not provide exhilarating football, he has stabilized the club, and pursuing an alternative path is deemed too risky. According to Goal.com.
