Man United have no choice but to hire Michael Carrick as permanent manager after Champions League return
Man United have no choice but to hire Michael Carrick as permanent manager after Champions League return originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . It's been a long time since Manchester United have looked as assured of themselves as they do through the second half of the 2025/26 season.
It's hard to credit anything other than the intrepid leadership of interim manager Michael Carrick for the club's stark turnaround since he stepped in to lead the club in January. This very same squad of players looked utterly baffled under Ruben Amorim's control, but since the moment Carrick stepped in they have a renewed vigor about them which has translated directly to results and points. Manchester United were sixth in the Premier League table when Amorim was dismissed on January 5, having been embarrassingly held by Leeds United the day before, a game after also dropping points against last-placed Wolves.
MORE: Tracking the chase for European qualification in the Premier League table Not even caretaker boss Darren Fletcher could light a spark under these players, as they dropped more points in a draw against Burnley to see six points dropped against three consecutive relegation-threatened opponents. Yet following Carrick's appointment, the club enjoyed a near-immediate turnaround. With only the Premier League to focus on after elimination from both domestic Cup competitions, the Red Devils would stun both title chasers Manchester City and Arsenal to prove their intent, followed by victories over Fulham and Tottenham to secure four straight wins.
After a draw against West Ham, the Red Devils then beat Everton and Crystal Palace before a defeat to Newcastle stopped the run. Yet Carrick's influence was still being felt, as they would turn right around to beat top-five chasers Aston Villa by multiple goals. MORE: Who has qualified for the 2026/27 Champions League tournament?
The Sporting News speculated back in early March whether Carrick should be considered for the permanent managerial role. At the time, it was concluded that there wasn't quite enough evidence to make such a case, given the obvious advantage Carrick had enjoyed with so few games on the schedule. Yet after beating Liverpool by a 3-2 score in early May to secure a return to the Champions League next season, there is no doubt that Carrick is the man for the job.
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