- David De Gea praises Manchester United boss
- Goalkeeper backs club to finish the season strongly
- The Spaniard returned to England in 3-0 Crystal Palace defeat
Since taking over at Manchester United in January, Michael Carrick has restored the good vibes to Old Trafford.
His impact hasn’t gone unnoticed by former teammates, with goalkeeping legend David de Gea becoming the latest to voice his support. Under Carrick’s leadership, the Reds have suffered only a single defeat since he succeeded Ruben Amorim. It is a resurgence that has quickly displaced Amorim’s repeated need for the squad to “struggle” before the good times returned.
De Gea and Carrick enjoyed a decorated era at the club, playing together in 186 matches. Only six players in history have shared the pitch with Carrick more often. Few are better positioned than the Spaniard to speak on the character and capability of the current United boss.
‘Unbelievable’ Carrick Gets the Nod from De Gea
After departing Old Trafford as a free agent in 2023, David de Gea took a 13-month sabbatical before eventually joining Serie A outfit Fiorentina.
It has been a challenging season for the former United goalkeeper. La Viola were winless in their first fourteen league games of the season, rooted to the bottom of Serie A. However, they have picked up their form in 2026, which has helped steer De Gea’s team away from the relegation battle.
De Gea returned to English soil on Thursday night for a UEFA Conference League quarter-final. It was a miserable night in London as Fiorentina were thumped 3-0 by Crystal Palace in the first leg. The match may have also provided a glimpse of a potential future Red Devil, with United-linked midfielder Adam Wharton starting for the Eagles.
De Gea was interviewed after the game by TNT Sports. He was asked about Carrick in particular, to which he said: “Yeah, he’s doing unbelievable. He’s a great guy, he knows how the players feel, so it’s easy to talk with him. So he’s doing an amazing job.
“United is winning a lot of games now, playing well, and hopefully they can get the Champions League spot and keep growing, growing. Let’s see United again in the high positions and fighting for trophies.”
Voices for Carrick’s Appointment Grow
De Gea joins the growing list of ex and current Manchester United players who are vouching for Carrick’s permanent appointment in the role. Recently, Wayne Rooney, Patrice Evra and Amad Diallo have supported the Englishman to get the permanent gig.
The pressure is now on, with a final set of seven games remaining for Carrick to convince the Old Trafford board that he is the man to lead the club. The Reds sit in third place, knowing that fifth place will secure Champions League football for next season.
The run-in begins on Monday night, when United host fierce rivals Leeds United at M16. To keep themselves fresh within the 24-day gap they have had between fixtures, the squad have spent the week in Ireland for an intensive training camp.
Key injury returns could be a big boost for the Reds, but they will not have Harry Maguire available after his sending off against AFC Bournemouth.
