By Sampurna Majumder
Prior to Saturday’s significant derby against Manchester City at Old Trafford, Manchester United has confirmed that former midfielder Michael Carrick will be taking on the role of manager for the 2025-26 campaign. After Rúben Amorim was fired earlier this month for a poor run of performance, Carrick, at the age of 44, signed a contract to lead the first team till the end of the current Premier League season.
Carrick’s appointment was announced by Manchester United in an official statement, highlighting his close connection to the team as an outstanding coach and player. Carrick played from 2006 until 2018, in total 464 games. He also won awards, including the UEFA Champions League and five Premier Leagues.
In 2018, after the retirement, Carrick took the coaching positions at Old Trafford and reined as caretaker manager in 2022. Then he also worked for managers like José Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
This weekend’s Manchester derby, which puts Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City against one of United’s toughest rivals, will be Carrick’s first game in control. After the derby , the journey will get tougher as it will lead to Arsenal. The situation is still critical and United is still under pressure as they are still outside the ranks of Champions League.
Fans and former players have expressed their response in a variety of ways to Carrick’s appointment. Some fans are hoping that Carrick’s appointment will result in United’s morale boost and enable them to compete for a top-four finish. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was also chosen for this position but later the decision was passed over.
Jason Wilcox, United’s director of football, highlighted that the decision was made with both the season’s long-term stability and goals in mind, complimenting Carrick’s understanding of the club’s identity and his preparation for the task.
The primary goal of Carrick at this point with 17 league games left will be to earn a Champions League spot, which would result in real improvement this season despite the domestic cup’s existence. As they start preparing for the important ones in the upcoming weeks, United will need to be at their best to maintain the consistency of their game.