The Manchester United cycle post-Sir Alex Ferguson is all too familiar, and the Red Devils have entered the ’bring back a Fergie disciple to steady the ship’ phase.
Ruben Amorim’s departure as head coach, not manager, leaves the club at another crossroads. After exiting the FA Cup on Sunday, United are set to enjoy their shortest season in terms of games played in over a century, but their current Premier League standing means that mere stability during the second half of the season could land them a spot in the 2026–27 Champions League.
There was talk of Ole Gunnar Solskjær returning to Old Trafford on an interim basis, and the Norwegian’s first spell looks rosier with each passing incumbent. However, United have opted for an alternative familiar face.
Michael Carrick, or "Carrot," if you’re speaking with a Louis van Gaal-like twang, is back for another bite of the cherry. The former England international has senior managerial experience with Middlesbrough, having previously served on José Mourinho and Solskjær’s coaching staffs at the Theatre of Dreams.
After Solskjær’s exit in 2021, Carrick was sworn in as caretaker manager before Ralf Rangnick fatefully took on the role and led the club to their worst-ever Premier League campaign until Erik ten Hag and Amorim combined to morbid effect in 2024–25.
With Carrick back until the end of the 2025–26 season—as interim head coach—here’s a look at how his previous stint went.
Carrick’s Three-Game Showcase Largely Positive
Carrick’s three-game showcase ranked among the highlights of an otherwise miserable 2021–22 campaign for Man Utd, and the understated midfielder landed the Boro job less than a year on.
Carrick started with a Champions League outing away at Villarreal, with the 13-time Premier League winners reeling from a chastening 4–1 defeat at Watford that cost Solskjær his job. The caretaker boss made four changes from the defeat at Vicarage Road, most notably bringing in Donny van de Beek for Bruno Fernandes.
They had David de Gea to thank for ensuring the deadlock wasn’t broken entering the final quarter of the contest, as the Spaniard made two excellent saves to deny Manu Trigueros. Unai Emery’s Yellow Submarine were superior for much of the contest, but Cristiano Ronaldo made the hosts rue their profligacy in front of goal by handing United a 78th-minute lead.
Jadon Sancho doubled the away side’s advantage, and United held on to secure their first clean sheet in 15 games, all while avenging their Europa League final defeat from the previous season. The win guaranteed their place in the knockout stages, but Rangnick was unable to lead the Red Devils beyond Atlético Madrid in the round of 16.
Their performance in Spain was one of character and resolve, with a few smiles returning to faces ahead of a daunting trip to Stamford Bridge just five days later.
It’d now become clear that Rangnick, not Mauricio Pochettino or Ernesto Valverde, would take charge for the remainder of the season, and Carrick had to assert post-match in west London that the German had no say in his team selection against Chelsea.
Carrick made the big call of dropping Ronaldo to the bench, opting to shore up his midfield, and United walked away with a 1–1 draw. A Jorginho penalty rescued a point for Thomas Tuchel’s side in the second half after Sancho capitalised on a mistake from the Italian to give United the lead.
His final outing arrived at Old Trafford, with the Red Devils facing an Arsenal side that were finally showing signs of growth under Mikel Arteta. Carrick returned Ronaldo to his XI and the Portuguese played a big role in United’s 3–2 win.
Rangnick watched on from the directors’ box as the Gunners took a controversial lead through Emile Smith Rowe, with the then-burgeoning Arsenal starlet scoring into an empty net after De Gea picked up an injury which rendered him motionless on his goalline. A topsy-turvy game ensued, with United taking a 2–1 lead before Martin Ødegaard levelled for the visitors. However, Arsenal’s future captain was then penalised for fouling Fred in the penalty area, allowing Ronaldo to score the winner from 12 yards.
Post-match, Carrick labelled United’s exciting triumph as the "perfect" send-off, perhaps not expecting to be back in the same position further down the line. He now has until the end of the season to lay down his credentials for a potential long-term role.
Michael Carrick Man Utd Managerial Record
| Games | Won | Drawn | Lost | +/- | Goal Difference | Win Rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6:3 | +3 | 66.6 |
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as How Michael Carrick’s First Man Utd Interim Spell Played Out.
