New Headline: "Rashford's Magic Leads Rooney to Champions League Glory at Old Trafford
Manchester United interim manager Michael Carrick (Oli SCARFF) Michael Carrick opted to let Manchester United's results do the talking after Wayne Rooney tipped him to take charge at Old Trafford on a permanent basis following Sunday's vital 3-1 win against Aston Villa. Carrick's side stepped up their bid to qualify for next season's Champions League thanks to second-half goals from Casemiro, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko. United are in third place in the Premier League, three points ahead of Villa as they chase a top-four finish.
A seventh win in nine games since Carrick took over as interim boss put United six points clear of sixth-placed Chelsea, firmly in the driving seat for a Champions League place. Rooney said told BBC his former team-mate Carrick should "100 per cent" get the job. "I know him very well," Rooney said.
"I know his character, his personality. It needed a calm head, but someone who knows the place and the players needed some love, and he has given them that. "We have seen the players play with more quality, more together as a team, and they look like a very strong team.
For me, why would you change? " Carrick would clearly love to take the job on permanently after a glittering playing career at United. His only other experience as a manager ended in disappointment at second tier Middlesbrough, but the former England midfielder has proved a steady influence at United after Ruben Amorim's turbulent reign ended in the sack.
United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe this week said Carrick was doing an "excellent" job but stopped short of guaranteeing he would remain in charge after this season. - 'It doesn't affect me' - Asked if he was able to ignore the speculation over his future, Carrick said: "There's not that much noise is there? I don't mean Wayne, just in general.