Manchester United find themselves in a familiar crossroads as the club debates whether to grant Michael Carrick a permanent head‑coach role, a scenario that mirrors the path once taken by Ole Gunnar Solskjær. Both men stepped in as caretakers, steadied a wavering side, and then earned the full‑time badge after a series of promising results.
While Carrick’s tenure has produced a string of impressive outcomes since he took over from Rúben Amorim in mid‑January, doubts about his long‑term suitability linger, many of which stem from inevitable comparisons with Solskjær, who also rescued United after a turbulent spell under a Portuguese manager. Carrick has publicly dismissed the Solskjær parallels as "irrelevant," yet the narrative has already taken hold among fans and pundits.
The question remains: is the comparison fair, or are we forcing a link where none truly exists? Solskjær oversaw 13 Premier League fixtures before being handed the permanent job in 2019, having arrived from Molde as a caretaker. Carrick has now reached the same 13‑game milestone, prompting a side‑by‑side examination of their early records. In pure points terms, Solskjær holds a slight advantage, accumulating 32 points out of a possible 39 – three more than Carrick’s haul after the same number of league games.
His United side also found the net 29 times, five more than the goals scored under Carrick, while conceding three fewer goals. However, Solskjær’s run featured matches against all three clubs that were eventually relegated that season, and only four of his opponents finished in the top half of the table in 2018/19. By contrast, Carrick’s United have faced a tougher schedule.
Since replacing Amorim, they have played seven opponents who began the weekend in 10th place or higher, and just one club currently languishing in the relegation zone. This tougher fixture list partially explains the slight dip in points and goal difference. One of Solskjær’s most memorable victories came at Tottenham Hotspur, a 1‑0 away win against Mauricio Pochettino’s side, who ended the campaign in fourth place.
Marcus Rashford’s clinical finish, set up by a lofted pass from Paul Pogba, proved decisive, with David de Gea pulling off a series of crucial saves. Carrick, however, can point to two high‑profile triumphs that eclipse Solskjær’s best result. United dispatched Manchester City and Arsenal in consecutive league fixtures – the two clubs traditionally regarded as the strongest in England – delivering performances that many described as magnificent.
In addition, Carrick’s side beat Aston Villa, a team on course for Champions League qualification, thereby solidifying United’s grip on third place. When Carrick argued against the Solskjær comparison, he highlighted the unique circumstances each manager inherited. Solskjær had to juggle Premier League duties alongside deep runs in both the Champions League and FA Cup, whereas Carrick has enjoyed a relatively light mid‑week schedule, even experiencing a 24‑day break between league matches at one point this season.
Nonetheless, Solskjær also notched significant victories across all competitions, including a memorable FA Cup win at Stamford Bridge over Chelsea and an iconic Champions League comeback against Paris Saint‑Germain in the last‑16. Over his interim spell, Solskjær oversaw 19 matches in 86 days, compared with Carrick’s 13 fixtures spread over 101 days. It is also essential to consider the player pools each manager had at their disposal.
To illustrate the differences, we have compiled the preferred starting XIs each coach selected for the biggest games within their 13‑match windows. Solskjær’s options included the likes of Eric Bailly, Chris Smalling, Romelu Lukaku, Alexis Sánchez, Juan Mata, Fred, and Scott McTominay. Carrick, on the other hand, could draw on talents such as Noussair Mazraoui, Patrick Dorgu, Mason Mount, Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven, Manuel Ugarte, Benjamin Šeško and Joshua Zirkzee.
From a purely league‑position perspective, Solskjær ranks among United’s most successful post‑Ferguson appointments, though his legacy is clouded by criticism of the team’s playing style. United under Solskjær often relied on moments of individual brilliance rather than a coherent tactical identity, limiting their ability to challenge for major trophies. Carrick’s standout games have similarly emerged against possession‑dominant opponents, allowing United to exploit counter‑attacking opportunities – a pattern evident in the wins over City and Arsenal.
This tactical similarity fuels the narrative that Carrick is merely a repeat of Solskjær, a notion not entirely unfounded given his former role as the assistant coach. A deeper statistical look at the first 13 league matches under each manager reveals clear parallels.
Carrick’s United register a higher average of fast‑breaks, perhaps a by‑product of a tougher schedule, while the most noticeable divergence lies in headed goals – a reflection of United’s current proficiency from set‑pieces, where they rank just behind Arsenal in dead‑ball effectiveness. Understanding the context each manager inherited is also crucial. Although both Amorim and José Mourinho share Portuguese nationality, their relationships with the squad differed markedly. Mourinho’s tenure was marred by a toxic atmosphere, a public spat with Paul Pogba, and reports of internal divisions.
Solskjær stepped into this fraught environment, tasked with restoring positivity. Amorim’s departure was dramatic; he publicly confronted director of football Jason Wilcox before being dismissed. While his issues were largely with the club hierarchy rather than the dressing‑room, United had already begun to recover, losing only one of his final eight games and winning three.
One tactical misstep under Amorim was his reversion to a back three, after a back‑four formation had yielded better performances. Carrick has already reverted to a back four, a change that appears to have lifted morale and stability. Both interim managers were essentially handed a relatively open goal: Solskjær needed to inject optimism into a squad reeling from Mourinho’s negativity, while Carrick’s primary task was to restore a familiar defensive shape. Solskjær faced larger egos and a squad that eventually turned against him; Carrick, meanwhile, must contend with constant comparisons to his former boss.
In the end, the debate over which United caretaker delivered the stronger audition after 13 Premier League games remains open. Fans can cast their vote in the poll below and decide whether Carrick’s early successes outweigh Solskjær’s earlier achievements, or vice versa.