What a start.
It has been a terrific start to life as the interim Manchester United manager for Michael Carrick winning seven of his last 10 matches in charge and arguably being the most in form team in the Premier League since his appointment.
This form has led what was a speculative debate to a serious discussion whether or not Carrick should take the reins permanently come the end of the season.
Carrick, a former United midfielder and respected figure within the club, took charge of his first game in January in a huge fixture against local rivals Manchester City.
A turnaround under Carrick
Prior to this the Red Devils were going through a tough time in the club’s history, finishing 15th in the Premier League last season and then starting this season poorly until they decided to sack Ruben Amorim at the start of January.
Going into the game against the Citizens, Carrick’s men were heavy underdogs but walked out of Old Trafford with three points in what was a dominant win.
Since then, it has been fairly smooth sailing for United, only losing once to Newcastle at St James' Park but beating the current league leaders, Arsenal, in their own backyard.
According to the latest Opta predictions, United have just over an 85 per cent chance of qualifying for the Champions League, potentially returning to the competition after two years of missing out.
With this form and the way Carrick has been able to steady the ship better than any previous manager has been able to in recent years, the question of what to do next has been looming.
Who else is in the running?
Carrick was originally appointed as an interim manager as the United board looked for a suitable manager to hire for the start of next season.
Main contenders for the job at the time were England manager Thomas Tuchel and Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti, both managers with the highest level of experience, having won Champions League in their respective careers.
However, since then, both decorated managers have announced extensions with England and Brazil, and Carrick’s claim to stay in charge of the Red Devils now appears more possible.
At the moment, the main candidate that could be possible for United is the current Paris St Germain manager, Luis Enrique, another decorated manager who won the Champions League with PSG last year.
With his contract running out in 2027 and recently refusing a huge contract offer from the Parisian side, talk of a potential move to Manchester has been circling.
Despite all the rumours, the Manchester United management have stayed pretty silent since announcing that Carrick was simply a temporary manager.
As well as this, United are reportedly holding back on talking to other candidates because of how well the team are doing currently, and they don’t want to halt the momentum.
Crucial fixtures ahead for Carrick
With the current form and only seven games till the end of this season, these fixtures are essential if Carrick is to remain as United manager.
In these next few fixtures, United face difficult challenges against teams that are competing with them for the desired Champions League places.
With a game at Old Trafford against Liverpool, they hope to beat the Scousers again this season after beating them last October with an 84th-minute Harry Maguire winner.
The Red Devils also face a difficult challenge away at Stamford Bridge, where they have historically struggled to get points against Chelsea at the London club's ground.
With other important games such as Leeds at Old Trafford early next week, as well as games against surging contenders for the European places, Brighton and Brentford, it's safe to say these games are essential for United to win to secure Champions League qualification.
As for Carrick, these fixtures matter hugely for his future at the club, and with decorated managers being touted for the job, Carrick is currently making himself a good case to remain Manchester United manager.