Michael Carrick is looking to record a second win over Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side this weekend.
Across his two spells as Manchester United interim head coach, Michael Carrick has beaten world-class managers and stacked up a pretty impressive CV.
Last weekend’s 2-0 win over Manchester City added Pep Guardiola to the list of managers that Carrick has bested. On Sunday, United face Premier League leaders Arsenal and Carrick will be reunited with Mikel Arteta on the touchline.
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Back in 2021 when Carrick took over following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sacking, United beat Arsenal 3-2 in what turned out to be the last of Carrick’s three games in charge.
Carrick’s post-match assessment makes for interesting reading five years down the line…
Michael Carrick celebrates victory following the Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford in 2026 in Manchester, England.
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Michael Carrick’s reaction to beating Arsenal 3-2
Carrick beat Unai Emery’s Villarreal and drew to Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea before taking all three points against Arteta’s Arsenal.
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United’s team is drastically different to what it was in 2021, but there is still plenty that Carrick can learn from that match five years ago.
Is Manchester United’s XI stronger in 2026 or 2021?
This was the line-up Michael Carrick used to defeat Arsenal in his spell as interim manager
United/Arsenal 2021 graphic
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After that match, Carrick spoke highly of United’s performance in what he deemed to be an “old school classic”.
“All today, I’d had a feeling it was going to be an old-school classic in many ways and even getting to the game tonight, coming on the pitch an hour before, I could feel there was a certain atmosphere about the place and an energy,” Carrick said, as quoted by United’s official website.
“It just panned out like that. It was probably the ideal game really, a perfect night. A bit of a ding-dong of a game, end to end, not sure what’s going to happen next.
“To win the game like that was terrific. I think, for everyone, it was good, for the fans to see that, for the players to sample that and experience that again was great.”
Michael Carrick’s record against Arsenal
Carrick will know from his playing days that United’s clashes with Arsenal are often physical and fierce.
In 32 matches against Arsenal in his playing career, Carrick has won 12 of them and provided six assists along the way.
His last trip to The Emirates as a player came in 2017 when United lost 2-0 under Jose Mourinho.
READ MORE: The ‘intensity’ of Man Utd under Michael Carrick is setting stage for one ‘perfect’ test to sum up his entire reign
Last week, Lisandro Martinez praised Carrick and his staff for adding energy to the squad and knowing the importance of the Manchester derby.
With Arsenal up next, Carrick can once again relay to the players just how important this fixture is to United.
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