Manchester United find themselves in a familiar crossroads as the club debates whether to hand Michael Carrick the permanent head‑coach role. The situation bears an uncanny resemblance to the path Ole Gunnar Solskjær travelled to secure his full‑time appointment. Since stepping in for Rúbén Amorim in mid‑January, Carrick has overseen a striking turnaround, yet questions about his suitability linger, many of which stem from the inevitable Solskjær comparison. While Carrick has dismissed the parallels as "irrelevant," the narrative persists.
But is the comparison truly fair? Solskjær took charge of United for 13 Premier League fixtures before being offered the job permanently in 2019, having arrived from Molde as a caretaker.
Carrick has now overseen the same number of league games, prompting a side‑by‑side look at how their early tenures stack up. In pure results, Solskjær holds a slight edge, accumulating 32 points out of a possible 39 – three more than Carrick’s tally 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 run featured fixtures against all three teams that ultimately were relegated that season, and only four opponents finished in the top half of the table in 2018/19.
Carrick’s schedule has been tougher. Since taking over, United have faced seven opponents that were positioned 10th or higher at the start of each weekend, and just a single club currently languishing in the relegation zone.
This tougher fixture list provides context for the slightly lower points total. One of Solskjær’s standout results was a 1‑0 away victory at Tottenham Hotspur, then managed by Mauricio Pochettino and eventual fourth‑place finishers. Marcus Rashford’s clinical finish, set up by a lofted pass from Paul Pogba, secured the win, with David De Gea making crucial saves. In contrast, Carrick’s early big‑game credentials are impressive: United recorded back‑to‑back wins over the league’s two most formidable sides, Manchester City and Arsenal, in successive matches.
Those victories showcased a side capable of thriving against top‑class opposition. Carrick’s side also dispatched Aston Villa – a club on course for Champions League qualification – further cementing United’s grip on third place.
When Carrick addressed the Solskjær comparisons, he argued that each manager operates within a unique set of circumstances, a point that holds merit. Indeed, Solskjær had to juggle Premier League duties alongside deep runs in the Champions League and FA Cup, whereas Carrick has benefited from relatively quiet midweeks. At one stage United enjoyed a 24‑day break between league fixtures, giving Carrick ample time to prepare and recover.
If all competitions are considered, Solskjær’s résumé includes a memorable FA Cup triumph over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and the iconic Champions League round‑of‑16 comeback against Paris Saint‑Germain. Over 86 days, Solskjær oversaw 19 matches, while Carrick’s 13‑game league spell stretched across 101 days, reflecting a more spaced‑out schedule. Another factor to weigh is the player pool each manager had at their disposal. To illustrate, we assembled the preferred XIs each coach fielded in their most crucial fixtures during the 13‑game window.
Solskjær could call upon the likes of Eric Bailly, Chris Smalling, Romelu Lukaku, Alexis Sánchez, Juan Mata, Fred and Scott McTominay. Carrick, meanwhile, had options such as Noussair Mazraoui, Patrick Dorgu, Mason Mount, Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven, Manuel Ugarte, Benjamin Šeško and Joshua Zirkzee. From a purely league‑table perspective, Solskjær ranks among United’s most successful post‑Ferguson appointments, though his legacy is clouded by criticism of his teams’ style. United often relied on individual brilliance rather than a coherent tactical identity, limiting their ability to challenge for major trophies.
Carrick’s best outings have similarly come against possession‑heavy opponents, allowing United to exploit counter‑attacking opportunities – a pattern evident in the wins over City and Arsenal. These stylistic similarities have fueled the narrative that Carrick is merely a repeat of Solskjær, a notion not entirely unfounded given his former role as Solskjær’s assistant.
A deeper dive into the statistics from their first 13 league games reveals clear parallels: Carrick’s side averages more fast‑breaks, perhaps a by‑product of the tougher schedule, while Solskjær’s teams produced slightly more headed goals, reflecting the current Premier League emphasis on set‑piece proficiency. United currently sit among the league’s most effective dead‑ball specialists, second only to Arsenal.
Understanding the context each manager inherited is crucial. Although both Amorim and Jose Mourinho share Portuguese nationality, their relationships with the squad differed markedly. Mourinho departed amid a toxic atmosphere, famously residing in the luxurious Lowry Hotel and embroiled in a public feud with Paul Pogba, which fractured the dressing‑room. Solskjær stepped into that negativity and was tasked with restoring morale.
Amorim’s exit was dramatic: after publicly confronting director of football Jason Wilcox in a press conference, he was swiftly dismissed. While his departure stemmed more from a clash with the hierarchy than a loss of player confidence, the club had already suffered three defeats in Mourinho’s final eight games, culminating in a 3‑1 loss to Liverpool at Anfield.
In Amorim’s final stretch, United actually improved, losing only one of his last eight matches and winning three. The main criticism of his tenure was an inexplicable switch back to a back three, after a back four had yielded better performances and results. Both Carrick and Solskjær were handed the chance to make relatively simple adjustments to rectify the issues left by two stubborn predecessors. For Solskjær, it was about injecting optimism into a squad still reeling from Mourinho’s negativity.
For Carrick, the key was reverting to a back four to lift spirits and stabilize the defense. While Solskjær may argue he had to manage larger egos in a squad that eventually turned on him, Carrick has endured constant comparisons to his former boss and the lingering shadow of Mourinho’s legacy. Ultimately, the debate comes down to which interim manager delivered a more convincing audition after 13 Premier League games.
The numbers, the fixtures, and the style all provide food for thought, leaving United fans to decide which narrative they prefer.