Why Manchester United must resist the temptation to appoint Michael Carrick

For the first time in months, Manchester United feel like a football team again.

Two games. Two wins. Manchester City beaten in the derby, Arsenal beaten at the Emirates. More than the results themselves, it is the manner of the performances that has reignited belief among supporters. United have looked organised, aggressive, and confident. The players appear engaged, clear in their roles, and united in their purpose, defending collectively and attacking with intent.

Michael Carrick deserves credit for that. As interim manager, he has brought calm to a club that had lost its sense of direction. He has simplified the game plan, selected a system that suits the squad, and allowed players to express themselves within a clear structure. Bruno Fernandes is back in his natural role, Casemiro looks closer to the £65m midfielder United thought they had signed, and the team finally resembles something coherent.

Yet, however well this season ends, Manchester United should not make Carrick their permanent manager.

That is not a slight on Carrick, nor a denial of the improvement seen over the past fortnight. It is simply a recognition of what United’s recent history has repeatedly taught them, often at significant cost.

The bounce that asks uncomfortable questions

The jump in performance since Ruben Amorim’s departure has been striking, but it also raises an uncomfortable question. How much of this resurgence is the product of Carrick’s coaching, and how much reflects players no longer operating under a manager they had stopped responding to?

United have seen this pattern too many times for it to be ignored. A manager loses the dressing room. Performances dip. Intensity fades. A change is made, and suddenly the same group of players look energised again. The bounce arrives quickly, particularly in high-profile matches where freedom and pride return almost instinctively.

That does not mean the deeper issues have been solved.

Carrick has had minimal time on the training ground. He has not overseen a pre-season or reshaped the squad. What he has done is restore fundamentals: shape, balance, and clarity. Those things matter, but they are the starting point, not the destination.

In many ways, these performances say as much about how badly things had deteriorated under Amorim as they do about a long-term solution. Over the past decade, United have developed an alarming cycle: disengaged players, collapsing results, managerial change, and a short-term emotional release under an interim figure. The familiarity of that pattern should itself be a warning. Carrick has brought relief and clarity, but relief should not be mistaken for resolution.

Lessons from Solskjær still loom large

There is an unavoidable sense of déjà vu. When Ole Gunnar Solskjær took over on an interim basis in December 2018, United experienced a similar lift. The football became fast, attacking, and expressive. Results improved immediately. The mood around the club shifted almost overnight. United went 12 league matches unbeaten, and by March, Solskjær had been appointed permanently.

What followed was not failure, but stagnation. United finished second and third in the Premier League, achievements that would now feel like progress, yet they never became genuine title contenders. Semi-finals were reached regularly, finals occasionally, but decisive moments were consistently lost. Solskjær created positivity without authority, momentum without dominance.

Crucially, United also passed up the opportunity to appoint a proven elite manager at a moment when figures such as Zinedine Zidane were available. In hindsight, the club allowed itself to be swept along by a feel-good wave rather than stepping back to make a colder, more strategic decision.

That mistake cannot be repeated.

Emotion versus strategy

Carrick’s early success feels familiar because it taps into the same emotions. The football looks more “United”. The players appear liberated. Supporters feel reconnected to the team. That connection matters, but it also becomes dangerous when it clouds judgment.

Gary Neville has been unequivocal. No matter how strong the performances, he believes there “cannot be any consideration” of Carrick taking the job permanently. Roy Keane has echoed that view, arguing that United need a manager capable of winning league titles, not simply improving the mood.

Those comments may sound harsh, but they reflect the scale of the decision United face.

This is not just about steadying the club in the short term. It is about defining the next era. At the end of the season, several elite managers could be available, coaches with proven records, strong tactical identities, and experience of building teams capable of competing at the highest level. Luis Enrique, who has spoken openly about seeking a new challenge, is an obvious example. Appointing Carrick would close off those options.

United have spent a decade cycling through short-term fixes. They cannot afford another one.

Appreciation without illusion

None of this diminishes Carrick’s contribution. On the contrary, his work may yet prove invaluable. He has reminded the squad how to play with discipline and belief. He has shown that football does not need to be overcomplicated. He has given supporters something to enjoy again.

But there is little evidence that Carrick, intelligent, composed and promising as he undoubtedly is, represents a decisive step towards building a title-winning side. His impact so far has been about reinstating fundamentals. That is important work, but it is also the baseline expectation at this level. It is what a competent interim manager should be able to deliver.

Manchester United’s problem has never been finding someone who can lift them for a few months. Their problem has been taking the next step, becoming a side capable of sustaining pressure, dominating seasons, and competing seriously for major honours.

That requires experience, authority, and a long-term vision that goes beyond restoring confidence.

Carrick has steadied the ship, and he deserves credit for that. But the responsibility of the club’s hierarchy is to look beyond the immediate calm and make a decision based on where United want to be, not how good things feel right now.

United have been down this road before. They know where it leads. This time, they must choose differently.

GFN | Finn Entwistle