Michael Carrick has won five and drawn once with Manchester United this season (Image: Getty)
It took Ruben Amorim 16 games to get five Premier League wins as Manchester United manager. Michael Carrick has taken just six matches, after last night’s 1-0 victory at Everton. That is equally a damning indictment of the Portuguese coach and a rousing endorsement of Carrick’s impact. Carrick is averaging 2.6 points per game – a title-winning average that amounts to just shy of 99 points across 38 matches – compared to Amorim’s 1.55, which amounts to roughly 59 points across a season. That is an absolutely gigantic difference.
Granted, it is a small sample size. Give Carrick another 21 games, the number Amorim had earlier this season, and that points per game average will inevitably drop. But the evidence is mounting that Carrick can do the job, and should be considered on a full-time basis. Had Amorim stayed until the end of the season, United’s chances of Champions League qualification were more remote than Tristan da Cunha (and no, that’s not Matheus’ secret brother).
But now, the English coach has United three points clear of both Chelsea and Liverpool with 11 games to go. They are highly likely to be sitting at Europe’s top table again next season. Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS are actually facing a massive problem because of their interim manager.
The win at Everton wasn’t vintage. It wasn’t a swashbuckling United performance. But it was a hard-earned win, and an absolutely massive three points. In six games under Carrick, United have now comfortably beaten teams (Man City), shown character to win late on (Arsenal and Fulham) and also ground out crucial results (Tottenham, West Ham and Everton).
The improvement in almost every possible area – on the ball, off the ball, being a more direct and exciting attacking team – has been obvious under the 44-year-old caretaker coach. United are the only unbeaten Premier League team in 2026. His decisions, such as reintegrating Kobbie Mainoo, playing Bruno Fernandes in his best position and deploying Bryan Mbeumo up front, have been key to that.
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The question might actually be how high they can go on to finish, with third-placed Aston Villa just three points away. Third place was unthinkable when Amorim was sacked, with an 11-point gap to Villa. No longer. And if United do indeed secure Champions League qualification for next season, their decision-makers are left in a tricky situation.
In an ideal world, at least from Ratcliffe’s perspective, United wouldn’t actually have improved so significantly. Because Carrick is making a strong case to be United’s next permanent manager. And the whole reason he was appointed was to serve as a stopgap before a best-in-class boss is brought in this summer.
United will remember very well that the last time they “got the contract out and put it on the table”, in the iconic words of Rio Ferdinand, was for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. There were good times along the way but look how that ultimately panned out. United do not want to repeat that history, hence why Carrick was brought in on a short-term deal.
Michael Carrick’s interim stint could hardly have gone any better so far (Image: Getty)
Yet if the team maintain this momentum for the final 11 games, the tide in favour of Carrick will be strong. Swimming against it will be very difficult for INEOS. And doing so would upset a lot of supporters who are already opposed to Ratcliffe. The ex-Middlesbrough manager is unbeaten in two spells at United, with seven wins and two draws.
If he’s not appointed, the man stepping into the dugout will need massive pedigree for the Old Trafford crowd to accept the decision without frustration. But Thomas Tuchel is one man out of the picture after extending his England contract. Luis Enrique of PSG is the other obvious candidate who would satiate the fanbase if Carrick is not appointed.
But can Ratcliffe and INEOS really get the Spaniard out of Paris? He’s under contract until 2027 and there are reports he will extend his deal. Oliver Glasner, Julian Nagelsmann and Roberto De Zerbi are alternative options to Tuchel and Enrique. None of those will receive unanimous support if Carrick is snubbed, even if they have better CVs than him.
Crucially, it is not certain whether they can handle the pressure of being United manager. Carrick is showing he can. Of course, the issue is that next season the Red Devils need to take a step forward, from qualifying for the Champions League to showing they can compete for major trophies.
That is why the United hierarchy may still opt against Carrick. But on current form, he couldn’t be doing much more to state his case. And if it continues, Ratcliffe faces a lot of flak if he snubs a much-loved United legend.
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