Michael Carrick: Man Utd bosses will not rush managerial decision despite Champions League qualification all but secure
Man Utd hierarchy in no rush to make permanent managerial appointment despite progress under Michael Carrick: former midfielder is frontrunner to land job full-time but other managers will be spoken to; watch Man Utd vs Liverpool live on Super Sunday; kick-off 3.30pm
Tuesday 28 April 2026 15:25, UK
With Manchester United all-but guaranteed Champions League football for next season, Michael Carrick has done all he can to get the head coach's job long-term. But United's bosses are in no rush, with a decision unlikely before the end of this campaign.
We can expect the hierarchy to talk to other possible candidates before making a final decision, such is the rigour that United will apply to their most important appointment. There will be a recruitment process, due diligence, strategic decision-making. Those are the buzz words of the new regime.
But while they might have sounded out other options via intermediaries, there have still been no formal meetings as yet. Again, the plan is to wait until the end of the season.
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Under Carrick, United are 11 points clear of sixth place in the Premier League with 12 points left to play for. He was given one task when he took over on January 13: qualify for Europe's elite competition. It would need a spectacular collapse from here to miss out.
However, the message coming out of Carrington seems to be 'no distractions until the football is done'. With bitter rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday, live on Sky Sports, and the numerical possibility of United finishing anywhere between second and sixth in the table, there is still much to play for.
Appointing Ruben Amorim was clearly a mistake, but sacking him when they did in January, with 19 games of the season to play, was the right decision. United would not be where they are now if the Portuguese coach were still in charge.
It was clear that Jason Wilcox had become increasingly frustrated by Amorim's tactical inflexibility, as the director of football saw it. That flexibility was there for all to see in United's 2-1 victory over Brentford on Monday night, when the home side were repeatedly outplayed in the first half, conceding far too much space in midfield and as a result, far too many Brentford chances. Senne Lammens brilliantly kept Brentford at bay on at least three occasions.
Carrick responded. He switched to a back-three at the break, tightened up the midfield, constricted the space, and effectively shut down the game in the second half. It made for a much less attractive spectacle, the Old Trafford crowd was becalmed, but it almost certainly helped United get over the line to claim another three points.
"Credit to them, they're a good team and have a really good mix of threats," Carrick told Sky Sports after the game. "We tweaked things second half and for the most part had decent control."
That will have impressed his bosses for sure, but that alone does not mean he is a shoe-in for the top job long term. Carrick also maintains the best points-per-game (2.2) and goals-per-game (1.9) ratio since the Sir Alex Ferguson era.
He has done brilliantly in all aspects of the job since taking over, it's not just those statistics that standout. The way he has galvanised the squad coupled with the sure-handed way he has dealt with the media have impressed to the fullest. Just as important is the backing of the players, many of whom have come out in support of Carrick in recent weeks.
And practically, appointing Carrick would be a very smooth transition, making pre-season planning, transfer discussions and strategic preparation for next season much easier than bringing in someone from outside.
But United's bosses are mindful that the former United player has only had a very short time in charge (15 games so far) and that this season is likely to be pretty unique in United's history.
Out of both domestic cup competitions early and with no European football midweek, Carrick has had the luxury of preparing for just one game a week, with plenty of time with the players on the training pitch. No other United season, past or future, is likely to have so few matches. And that means the squad will inevitably be more stretched next season, whoever is in charge.
In many ways, United's bosses are in an invidious position, despite all the recent success. If they give the job to Carrick and results dip next season, there will be a chorus of voices chiming in to say the club has repeated the mistakes of the past, when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer started well but was ultimately sacked. Ironically, Sokskjaer was given the substantive job after a successful 15-game honeymoon, akin to where Carrick is right now.
But if the club were to bypass Carrick and bring in a big name, any failure next season would be met with criticism of the decision not to stick with a man who had done so well in the short term. Such is life at a club the size of Manchester United.
The reality is that, while Carrick has been performing well in the role, United's other options for the job have dwindled. Big names like Carlo Ancelotti, Thomas Tuchel, Julien Nagelsmann and Luis Enrique have been on their radar - coaches with the personality, experience and clout to cope with the scale of the role at Old Trafford.
But Ancelotti has signed a new contract with Brazil, Tuchel has done likewise with England, and it looks increasingly likely that Enrique will follow suit at PSG.
There is no doubt that Carrick is in pole position and few could argue he doesn't deserve it. It's clear, too, that there is a groundswell of support for him within the staff and players at Carrington training centre, a place he knows well, which is another big tick.
But this new, methodical Manchester United won't rush such a big decision. Whatever the clamour from outside, inside the corridors of power at Carrington, there is a quiet satisfaction with how things are going, and a determination to avoid the mistakes of the past.
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