- The Manchester United board have made their satisfaction clear so far.
- Carrick has outperformed Premier League counterparts
- Leaves the Englishman in pole position to take the job
According to Tyrone Marshall of Manchester Evening News, just three names remain on the list for the permanent Manchester United job. Michael Carrick, Luis Enrique and Julian Nagelsmann are the last remaining candidates.
Over the past 71 days, speculation has swirled about who will ultimately take the full-time head-coaching role at Manchester United. Following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim due to a breakdown in relations with Jason Wilcox, former player—and ex-caretaker—Carrick was brought in to steady the ship.
But in the unlikeliest of turns, the former Middlesbrough manager has not only steadied the ship, but he has completely reshaped its course. 10 games, seven wins, two draws, and just one loss. 20 goals scored and just 11 conceded.
Carrick has seen off rivals Manchester City and Arsenal, while dispatching fellow Champions League hopefuls Aston Villa with authority. Since he took the reins, not a single team has accumulated more points than Manchester United in the Premier League, 23.
Nobody predicted this. Which is precisely why the race for United’s next head coach has become so finely poised.
The Race as it Stands
Two days ago, Rob Dorsett of Sky News said that Manchester United have yet to approach any external managerial candidates, with the board highly satisfied by current interim manager Michael Carrick’s work, leaving him firmly in first place for the permanent role.
Wilcox and Omar Berada—the director of football and chief executive officer—are keeping their options open as it stands, with the two in no need to rush a decision.
As it stands, Carrick is doing a fantastic job.
Manchester United now sit 3rd in the table—two positions higher than under Amorim—and Carrick’s 70 per cent win rate in his second spell stands as the second-highest in the club’s history, bettered only by Ruud van Nistelrooy, who won three of his four games in the aftermath of Erik ten Hag’s dismissal last October.
The only blemish on his record in his second spell at the club remains his 2-1 loss to Newcastle.
Yet even with that near-flawless return, there is no escaping that his CV still lacks the weight and breadth of those he is competing against.
Carrick vs competitors
| Manager | Current club | Notable other clubs | Notable honours |
| Michael Carrick | Manchester United (interim) | Middlesbrough | N/A |
| Luis Enrique | Paris Saint-Germain | Barcelona and Spain | Two continental trebles |
| Julian Nagelsmann | German national side | RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich | The Bundesliga |
While Carrick’s CV is eclipsed by his rivals, there is little doubt that the Spaniard Enrique boasts the most impressive of the lot.
Across just over 15 years in management, Enrique has amassed a glittering array of honours, including four league titles, multiple domestic cups, two Champions League triumphs, two trebles, and the distinction of IFFHS World’s Best Club Coach on two occasions.
Only Pep Guardiola matches his feat of securing two continental trebles.
This is far from the first occasion Enrique has been on Manchester United’s radar. In 2022, the Athletic journalist Andy Mitten brokered contact between the Spaniard and the club.
Similarly, this is not the first time Nagelsmann has been linked to the United job.
The German has lingered on Manchester United’s radar since the early 2020s, a period when the club cycled rapidly through managers.
This, however, may be the first time he has been genuinely considered for the top job.
United will have to wait, though, with the German currently overseeing his national side’s preparations for the 2026 World Cup.
What comes next for Carrick?
Simply speaking, Michael Carrick has seven games left to impress the board of Manchester United—particularly Wilcox and Berada.
With the Red Devils firmly inside the Champions League places, Carrick can stake a genuine claim for the role if he guides the club to a smooth and uncomplicated qualification for Europe’s premier cup competition.
If he secures third place while amassing a hefty points tally, Carrick will likely emerge as the strongest contender among his rivals.
