Michael Carrick is being tipped to become Manchester United's permanent manager for the upcoming campaign, according to former Liverpool star Jamie Carragher. United are edging ever closer to a Champions League spot after a hard‑fought 2-1 victory over Brentford at Old Trafford on Monday, which has tightened their grip on a qualifying place.
With just four league fixtures remaining, the Red Devils sit third in the table, sitting eleven points ahead of sixth‑placed Brighton. The gap means United could secure European football as early as next weekend when they host arch‑rivals Liverpool. Since stepping in as interim boss in January, Carrick has overseen nine wins in 13 matches, a run that has prompted Carragher to predict the club will hand him the job on a full‑time basis after a series of "sensational results". Speaking on Sky Sports, the former Liverpool defender said, "He's going to be the Manchester United manager, certainly next season, no doubt about that – and you can't say he doesn't deserve it.
The results have been absolutely sensational. They are the kind of outcomes you would expect from a title‑contending side, or at the very least a team fighting for a top‑four finish." Carragher added that while United currently enjoy a period of reduced pressure – they are not involved in European fixtures and can focus on the domestic run‑in – no one could have delivered better results given the circumstances.
"Now I know that pressure isn't on Manchester United right now, they haven't got European fixtures, all these other things will come into it, but I don't think anybody could have come in and done any better results‑wise," he asserted. Harry Maguire, speaking to Sky Sports about Carrick's impact, highlighted the confidence boost that the string of wins has provided. "Obviously the results help the feeling of confidence about Michael Carrick massively.
We had two tough fixtures when Michael first came in – Arsenal and Man City – and we managed to take six points. Everyone believed in it, we gathered together, we have the confidence now. We know we can score from anywhere, and we can still improve the formation, make the back line quicker, slide across the pitch faster – things we should have done earlier," Maguire explained. Maguire continued, "The results speak for themselves.
Since the manager arrived and changed the formation, we started picking up points. Under Ruben Amorin the games were often 50/50 and we usually ended up on the losing side.
Now it feels the opposite – we are stronger in both boxes. We defend better and we are more clinical in attack." Gary Neville, on his podcast, praised Carrick's ability to extract maximum performance from the squad. "If Michael Carrick were honest, he'd say he's getting the absolute maximum out of this group of players.
Twenty‑nine points from thirteen games since he arrived – that is brilliant. The first two games against City and Arsenal were outstanding; they were absolutely amazing.
Those performances set a high bar, and even when the team hasn't played at that level, they have still found a way to win, which is the mark of a good manager," Neville remarked. Neville also noted Carrick's forward‑thinking mindset. "He looks at the long‑term future of the club, even if he isn't there at the end of the season – which is likely.
In the second half of the Brentford game he showed tactical nous, adjusting the system to shut down the opposition. He proved he can be agile in games.
If Brentford had levelled, the criticism would have been huge, but after a few minutes he said, 'this is working.' United's compactness in the first half wasn't ideal, and Michael saw that, made the change, and the risk paid off." Carrick himself acknowledged United's improved standing after the Brentford win, saying, "It's another win. We have an important game coming up this weekend, so we can look forward to that. It's a big game for different reasons but we've put ourselves in a good position." He praised his side's resilience, noting Brentford's late comeback through Mathias Jensen, yet United held firm.
Reflecting on the performance, Carrick added, "We could have scored more, but at this stage of the season it's all about results. We needed the points, and we've had a fantastic two games following the Leeds defeat." The manager's pragmatic approach, combined with tactical flexibility, has turned a struggling United side into a credible challenger for a Champions League berth.
The broader context underscores how quickly fortunes can change in football. When Carrick took over, United were languishing outside the top four, with fans growing restless and pundits questioning the direction of the club. Within months, a new defensive solidity and a more fluid attacking approach have emerged, leading to a string of victories that have reignited optimism at Old Trafford.
If United can sustain this momentum against Liverpool – a fixture that traditionally carries extra weight – they could lock in a top‑four finish and secure a return to Europe's elite competition. The upcoming clash will test Carrick's tactical acumen further, but the confidence he has instilled in the squad suggests they are ready for the challenge. Should the club confirm Carrick as the permanent manager, it would signal a shift towards rewarding internal promotion and continuity, rather than seeking an external high‑profile appointment. The success of his interim spell may well become a case study in how a former player, familiar with the club's culture, can translate on‑field experience into effective leadership.
In summary, Michael Carrick's tenure as interim manager has produced a remarkable turnaround, earning praise from former players, pundits, and the squad itself. With United poised on the brink of Champions League qualification, the expectation that he will take the helm next season appears increasingly realistic, and the football world will be watching closely to see if his tactical innovations and man‑management skills can sustain success over a full campaign.