Michael Carrick has turned Manchester United’s season around so completely that senior players in the dressing room are now actively lobbying for him to be handed the permanent job rather than replaced at the end of the campaign.
According to reports from The Sun, Bruno Fernandes, Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw have all been impressed by Carrick’s approach since he took over in January, and the phrase being used from within the camp is revealing.
An Old Trafford source told the publication: “Michael has come in and done great because he has been a breath of fresh air. Some of the players expected that, because playing for Amorim was like playing chess. You had to follow his rules to the tee, whereas Michael has told them to express themselves.”
The statistics back the sentiment. Carrick has won seven of his first ten matches in charge, lost only once, and lifted United from a crisis position to third in the table with Champions League qualification now firmly in sight.
David Beckham, one of the most emotionally invested figures in United’s global support base, spoke candidly about the change in atmosphere. “I must admit, the last few months have been a lot more comfortable than the last 10 years, to be honest,” Beckham said. “Michael’s got a calmness about him that he’s brought into the club.”
INEOS has not yet made any formal commitment about Carrick’s future beyond this season, and Sky Sports understands the club has not yet contacted any other candidates — a significant detail given how far into the season this is.
The candidates who were once considered the frontrunners have largely taken themselves out of the picture. Tuchel extended with England, Ancelotti with Brazil, and Luis Enrique at PSG has renewed, though reports today suggest United insiders are increasingly mentioning his name as a longer-term option.
Carrick himself managed to read the riot act to his squad after his only defeat, at Newcastle, earning a telling nickname in the press.
The final call will not come until the season ends, but every win United achieve tightens Carrick’s grip on the job he was only ever supposed to hold temporarily.