Manchester United find themselves treading a familiar path as the club deliberates whether to grant Michael Carrick a permanent head‑coach role. The situation mirrors the trajectory Ole Gunnar Solskjær experienced when he transitioned from caretaker to full‑time manager.
Since stepping in for Rúben Amorim in mid‑January, Carrick’s results have been impressive, yet questions about his suitability persist, many of which stem from inevitable comparisons with Solskjær, who also steadied the ship after a turbulent spell under a Portuguese boss. Carrick has brushed off the Solskjær parallels as "irrelevant," but dismissing the narrative does little to halt its spread. The real question is whether the comparison holds any weight.
Solskjær oversaw 13 Premier League fixtures before earning the permanent job in 2019, having originally arrived from Molde as a caretaker. Carrick has now logged the same number of league games, prompting a side‑by‑side analysis of their early tenures. In terms of points, Solskjær edges Carrick, accumulating 32 out of a possible 39, three more than his former assistant after 13 matches.
His side also found the net 29 times, five more than United have under Carrick, while conceding three fewer goals. However, Solskjær’s tally includes fixtures against all three teams that were eventually relegated that season, and only four of his games came against clubs that finished in the top half of the table in 2018/19.
Carrick’s schedule has been tougher. Since taking over, his United have faced seven opponents that were positioned 10th or higher at the start of each weekend, and just one club currently languishing in the relegation zone. Solskjær’s standout result was a 1‑0 away victory at Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham, who ended the campaign in fourth place. Marcus Rashford’s precise finish, set up by a lofted pass from Paul Pogba, proved decisive, with David De Gea making crucial saves to preserve the win.
In contrast, Carrick’s first two games already eclipse Solskjær’s biggest win in terms of opposition quality. United produced back‑to‑back masterclasses against the two strongest English sides—Manchester City and Arsenal—delivering spectacular performances that earned three points each. Carrick’s United also defeated Aston Villa, a side on course for Champions League qualification, further solidifying their claim to third place.
When Carrick rejected the Solskjær comparison, he argued that every manager operates under a unique set of circumstances, and he is correct. Solskjær had to juggle the Premier League, the Champions League and the FA Cup, whereas Carrick has benefited from mid‑week breaks between league fixtures. At one point United enjoyed a 24‑day hiatus during the season.
If all competitions are considered, Solskjær did record notable victories, such as a dramatic FA Cup win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and the famous Champions League last‑16 comeback against Paris Saint‑Germain. Overall, Solskjær oversaw 19 matches in 86 days, while Carrick has managed 13 games over 101 days. A manager’s performance cannot be divorced from the players at his disposal.
To illustrate the differences, we have compiled each manager’s preferred XI based on the line‑ups they selected for the biggest fixtures within their respective 13‑game windows. Players who were available to Solskjær but not regularly used include Eric Bailly, Chris Smalling, Romelu Lukaku, Alexis Sánchez, Juan Mata, Fred and Scott McTominay. Carrick, on the other hand, had access to the likes of Noussair Mazraoui, Patrick Dorgu, Mason Mount, Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven, Manuel Ugarte, Benjamin Šeško and Joshua Zirkzee. Looking solely at league position, Solskjær ranks among United’s most successful post‑Ferguson appointments, yet his legacy is clouded by criticism of the team’s style of play.
United often relied on moments of individual brilliance rather than a coherent tactical identity, limiting their ability to compete for major trophies. Carrick’s best performances have similarly come against teams expected to dominate possession, allowing United to exploit counter‑attacking opportunities—evident in the wins over City and Arsenal. These parallels have fueled the narrative that Carrick is simply a repeat of Solskjær, a notion that is not entirely unfounded given his previous role as Solskjær’s assistant at Old Trafford. When we examine the statistics from their first 13 league games, the similarities become clearer.
Carrick’s side averages more fast‑breaks per match, perhaps a by‑product of the tougher fixtures they have faced. The most striking difference lies in headed goals, with United under Carrick scoring more from set‑pieces—a trend that mirrors the current Premier League emphasis on dead‑ball situations, where United rank among the most prolific, second only to Arsenal. Understanding the context each manager inherited is also crucial.
While both Rúben Amorim and José Mourinho share Portuguese nationality, their relationships with the squad differed dramatically. Mourinho left a toxic atmosphere, famously residing in the luxurious Lowry Hotel throughout his tenure, and his public spat with Paul Pogba created visible divisions.
Amorim’s exit was dramatic; he publicly called out director of football Jason Wilcox in a press conference before being dismissed. These issues were largely confined to the hierarchy rather than the dressing‑room, and there is little evidence that Amorim had lost the players’ confidence in the way Mourinho allegedly did. United had lost three of Mourinho’s last eight games before his sacking after a 3‑1 defeat at Liverpool’s Anfield. By contrast, Amorim’s final eight matches saw United lose only once and win three, indicating an improvement.
Amorim’s primary tactical flaw was his inexplicable reversion to a back‑three formation after a back‑four had delivered better results. Both Carrick and Solskjær were handed the chance to make relatively simple adjustments to correct the problems left by two stubborn predecessors. For Solskjær, it meant injecting optimism into a squad mired in Mourinho’s negativity; for Carrick, it involved returning to a back‑four to restore confidence. Solskjær could argue that he had to manage larger egos within a squad that eventually turned against him, while Carrick has endured constant comparisons to his former boss.
In summary, after 13 Premier League games each, both interim managers have shown flashes of brilliance and have navigated distinct challenges. Carrick’s victories over the league’s elite and his ability to adapt to a tougher fixture list give him a compelling case, while Solskjær’s broader experience across multiple competitions and his higher points tally cannot be ignored. The debate ultimately hinges on whether one values raw results, quality of opposition, tactical adaptability, or the broader context in which each manager operated.