Roy Keane weighs up Unai Emery’s chances of taking charge at United
Roy Keane weighs up Unai Emery’s chances of taking charge at United Manchester United’s red-hot form under caretaker manager Michael Carrick has ignited talk of his permanent stay at the Theatre of Dreams. The English manager was appointed in mid-January to steady the ship following former head coach Ruben Amorim’s turbulent 14-month stay. The Red Devils struggled to impress under the Portuguese , but Carrick’s arrival appears to have broken all shackles.
The English giants have won seven of their nine games under the Englishman, and now sit third in the Premier League after 30 games. For now, Carrick remains in charge until the end of the season, when United are expected to appoint a permanent manager. INEOS are unlikely to rush the decision given their experience with Amorim and his predecessor, Erik ten Hag.
The Red Devils are already eyeing several candidates for the job, and one manager who has long been linked with the club is Aston Villa boss Unai Emery . Emery can bring trophy-winning experience Emery rose to prominence during his stint with Sevilla, helping them secure three consecutive Europa League titles. That earned him a move to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), and the Spanish manager won seven trophies during his time at the Parc des Princes, including the Ligue 1 title.
Emery took charge of Arsenal next in the summer of 2018. He guided the Gunners to the Europa League final in his first season, only to come up short against Chelsea. After a troubled start to his second campaign at the Emirates, the Spaniard lost his job in November 2019, and took over at Villarreal the following summer.
Emery guided the Yellow Submarine to a Europa League triumph in his first season, before Aston Villa came calling in October 2022. Since his arrival at Villa Park, the Spanish manager has turned the Birmingham club into a well-drilled unit, helping them finish fourth in the Premier League in the 2023/24 campaign. This season, Emery’s team are fourth in the league table after 30 games, and have a good chance of securing qualification for the Champions League once again.