When [Manchester United handed Michael Carrick the interim role in January](https://www.si.com/soccer/david-beckham-contradicts-man-utd-legend-by-backing-incredible-michael-carrick), the expectation from most observers was that it would buy the club time to pursue a marquee appointment in the summer. That assumption is now looking very shaky.
Carrick has won seven of his first ten matches in charge, claimed 23 points from a possible 30, and guided United into third place in the Premier League with an 85% probability of returning to the Champions League according to Opta projections.
The two coaches most prominently mentioned as potential targets — Thomas Tuchel and Carlo Ancelotti — have both since committed to extensions with England and Brazil respectively. Luis Enrique at PSG has also renewed his contract.
That convergence of circumstances has left the United job, in the words of those inside the club, as Carrick’s to lose. TEAMtalk reported on Saturday that club bosses have effectively paused talks with other candidates, with sources describing Carrick’s credentials as going “far beyond” results alone.
Director of football Jason Wilcox has noted a transformation in the squad’s culture and cohesion since Carrick’s arrival — a contrast with the fractured atmosphere that characterised the Amorim period’s final weeks.
United will not make a formal decision until the end of the season. The remaining seven fixtures serve as the de facto interview, and the most significant is the home game against title-chasing Liverpool — a test of whether Carrick’s side can handle genuine pressure at the [Business](https://londoninsider.co.uk/category/business/) end.
His first stint at United in 2021, which lasted just three matches, was a footnote. This one looks increasingly like the beginning of something more substantial.