Manchester United find themselves once again in a familiar crossroads as the club deliberates whether to grant Michael Carrick a permanent head‑coach role. The situation mirrors, almost eerily, the path that Ole Gunnar Solskjær followed to secure his full‑time appointment. 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 manager. Carrick has brushed off the Solskjær parallels as "irrelevant," but such dismissals are unlikely to extinguish a narrative that has already taken hold among fans and pundits.
The real question is whether the comparison is fair or merely a convenient storyline. Solskjær oversaw 13 Premier League fixtures before being handed the permanent job in 2019, having initially arrived from Molde as a caretaker. Carrick has now matched that tally, giving us a clean sample size to evaluate their respective auditions. When we look purely at points accrued, Solskjær holds a slight edge, having collected 32 out of a possible 39 points – three more than Carrick’s haul over the same number of games.
In terms of attacking output, Solskjær’s side found the net 29 times, five more than United have managed under Carrick, while also conceding three fewer goals. However, Solskjær’s run featured matches against all three clubs that ultimately were 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 seven opponents that were positioned 10th or higher at the start of each weekend, and just one team currently languishing in the relegation zone. One of Solskjær’s marquee victories was a 1‑0 away win at Tottenham Hotspur, then managed by Mauricio Pochettino and eventually finishing fourth. Marcus Rashford’s clinical finish from a Paul Pogba through‑ball proved decisive, aided by David De Gea’s crucial saves.
Carrick, however, boasts an even more impressive record in his first two games against elite opposition: United produced back‑to‑back triumphs over Manchester City and Arsenal, the two teams traditionally regarded as England’s best. Additionally, Carrick’s side defeated Aston Villa – a club on course for Champions League qualification – further cementing United’s grip on third place.
When Carrick argues that each manager operates under unique circumstances, he is not wrong. Solskjær had to juggle Premier League duties alongside deep runs in the Champions League and FA Cup, whereas Carrick has enjoyed the luxury of mid‑week breaks between league fixtures.
At one point this season United experienced a 24‑day hiatus between matches, a rarity in the modern game. If we broaden the lens to include all competitions, Solskjær’s résumé still contains notable highlights: a victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup and the iconic Champions League last‑16 comeback against Paris Saint‑Germain.
Over his interim spell, Solskjær managed 19 matches in 86 days, while Carrick has overseen 13 matches across 101 days, reflecting the differing intensity of their schedules. It is also essential to consider the player pools each interim had at their disposal.
To illustrate this, we have compiled the preferred XIs each manager selected for their biggest games during the 13‑match window. 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 call upon Noussair Mazraoui, Patrick Dorgu, Mason Mount, Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven, Manuel Ugarte, Benjamin Šeško and Joshua Zirkzee, among others.
From a purely league‑table perspective, Solskjær ranks among United’s most successful post‑Ferguson appointments, yet his legacy is clouded by criticism of his teams’ playing style. United under Solskjær often relied on moments of individual brilliance rather than a cohesive tactical identity, limiting their ability to challenge for major trophies. Carrick’s most memorable performances have similarly come against possession‑dominated sides, 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 implausible given his former role as the former’s assistant. A deeper dive into the statistics from their first 13 league games reveals that Carrick’s side averages more fast‑breaks per match, perhaps a by‑product of the tougher opposition they have faced. The most striking statistical divergence lies in headed goals, with United under Carrick scoring more frequently from set‑pieces – a reflection of the Premier League’s current emphasis on dead‑ball situations, where United now 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 markedly.
Solskjær arrived amid a toxic atmosphere left by Mourinho, whose tenure was marred by a public spat with Paul Pogba and reports of internal divisions. Amorim’s exit was dramatic, culminating in a press‑conference outburst aimed at director of football Jason Wilcox before he was dismissed. Nonetheless, the discord surrounding Amorim was largely confined to his dealings with the club hierarchy rather than the dressing‑room, unlike Mourinho, whose relationship with players had visibly deteriorated. United lost three of Mourinho’s final eight games before his sacking after a 3‑1 defeat at Liverpool, whereas under Amorim the team lost only one of his last eight fixtures, winning three.
Amorim’s primary tactical misstep appeared to be a puzzling reversion to a back‑three formation after a back‑four had yielded better results. Both Carrick and Solskjær were tasked with making relatively straightforward adjustments to rectify the issues left by their predecessors.
For Solskjær, it meant injecting optimism into a squad still reeling from Mourinho’s negativity; for Carrick, it involved returning to a back‑four to restore confidence. Solskjær can argue he managed larger egos in a squad that eventually turned on him, while Carrick has had to endure constant comparisons with his former boss. Ultimately, the debate over which interim has delivered the stronger audition after 13 Premier League games remains open, inviting fans to cast their votes and decide who has earned the right to steer Old Trafford into the future.