- Michael Carrick returned to Manchester United in January
- Red Devils have enjoyed a sensational transformation
- Carrick should be considered a Manager of the Season nominee
When Michael Carrick took over from Ruben Amorim in January, Manchester United were a mess. The club sat outside the European places, the fanbase was fractured, and another managerial search loomed.
Three months later, Carrick has done something no one expected. He has made the race for the permanent job feel like a foregone conclusion.
Six wins and a draw from his seven games in charge this stint means it is seven and two overall for Carrick, who beat Arsenal and drew with Chelsea during his first temporary spell in November 2021.
That equals the joint-best return from the first nine games as manager from anyone in the competition’s history, a record previously held outright by Ange Postecoglou. But unlike Postecoglou’s subsequent collapse at Tottenham Hotspur, Carrick’s United have only grown stronger.
A record to rival the best
The numbers are startling. Carrick has yet to lose a Premier League match as Manchester United manager. Nine games, seven wins, two draws. That is 23 points from a possible 27. He has beaten Arsenal, drawn with Chelsea, and overseen a run that has propelled the Reds to third in the table.
Michael Carrick’s Manchester United record this season
| Opponent | Venue | Result | Score |
| Manchester City | Home | W | 2–0 |
| Arsenal | Away | W | 3–2 |
| Fulham | Home | W | 3–2 |
| Tottenham | Home | W | 2–0 |
| West Ham | Away | D | 1–1 |
| Everton | Away | W | 1–0 |
| Crystal Palace | Home | W | 2–1 |
| Newcastle | Away | L | 1–2 |
| Aston Villa | Home | W | 3–1 |
| Bournemouth | Away | D | 2–2 |
Champions League qualification is now firmly in United’s own hands. If Carrick sees that through and finishes the season with just one loss or none at all, the Manager of the Season conversation becomes unavoidable.
Manchester United’s powerbrokers may be wary of moving too fast. Seven years ago, Carrick was part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s backroom team as the Norwegian started with eight successive wins, only to fade, but this feels different.
Carrick is not riding a wave of new‑manager luck. He has imposed a calm, structured system on a squad that had lost its way under Ruben Amorim.
Michael Carrick is a calm presence amid the storm
Carrick does not feel comfortable discussing his role in United’s advancement. His answers tend to be prefaced with the word ‘we’ rather than ‘me’. But after the latest victory, he allowed himself a rare moment of reflection.
“This place means a lot to me, so to have so much positivity, with everyone enjoying coming to the games and obviously for me to have an influence on that, of course it feels good, I’m not going to lie,” Michael Carrick said. “The players have to take a lot of credit for that in terms of what they put on the pitch. It’s certainly not all me.”
The players, however, appear convinced. Reports suggest the squad believe Carrick is the ideal candidate to lead the club permanently. And with Thomas Tuchel already extending his contract with England and Carlo Ancelotti about to do the same with Brazil, the alternatives, Oliver Glasner and Roberto de Zerbi, come with greater risk.
Carrick has already dealt with the spotlight trained on Old Trafford. He has won without fuss. If he delivers Champions League football and finishes the season unbeaten, the manager of the season award will certainly have him in the conversation.
Manager of the Season?
Mikel Arteta will likely claim the Premier League’s Manager of the Season award if he guides Arsenal to their first title since 2004. Another coach potentially up for the award is Keith Andrews, who has somehow taken Brentford up a level and into European contention.
Carrick, from a results perspective, deserves to be in the mix, especially if Champions League qualification is sealed. He’s unbeaten at Old Trafford, got the better of Arteta, Pep Guardiola, and Unai Emery, and improved players’ performances, including Benjamin Sesko and Kobbie Mainoo.
