There's a new dawn at Old Trafford — although some might say it's a familiar one. Manchester United have confirmed that Michael Carrick is returning as interim manager until the end of the season.
The Englishman replaces current caretaker boss Darren Fletcher in the dugout, who took charge following Ruben Amorim's sacking. It won't be the first time Carrick has taken charge of the club, having steadied the ship after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's departure by overseeing three games, winning two of them.
However, he returns to the Theatre of Dreams as a much more seasoned manager, having been in charge of Middlesbrough for nearly three years since October 2022. The 44-year-old's tactical ideas have likely come a long way since then, and there's speculation about how United could line up under his watch.
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Throw into the mix a couple of new January signings that the club have been linked with, and the Red Devils could become a seriously good team to watch. Here are three different ways United could line up under their former player, with two potential recruits also incorporated.
Option One: Stick With 3-4-2-1
Ayden Heaven
Carrick continuing to deploy Amorim's preferred formation would be a surprise, considering that tactical rigidity proved to be a bone of contention with director Jason Wilcox. But the squad does have a lot of the pieces for this system, which might result in their new manager sticking with it.
In goal and in defence, it's business as usual for the Red Devils. Senne Lammens is between the sticks while Lisandro Martinez, Matthijs de Ligt and Ayden Heaven line up in front of him. The latter has impressed in recent weeks, but could well drop out for one of Luke Shaw or Leny Yoro when De Ligt returns to full fitness.
Patrick Dorgu and Amad Diallo line up as wing-backs for the team, while Bruno Fernandes continues to sit in the pivot. However, United should be looking to sign a new midfielder in January to partner the Portuguese technician. One player they've been linked with is former Wolverhampton Wanderers star, Ruben Neves, who the club reportedly want to be Carrick's first signing. Although they are also in the running for Elliot Anderson, a move is only expected to happen in the summer, which doesn't help them in 2025/26.
Hailed as 'world-class' by former Premier League striker Darren Bent, the Al-Hilal midfielder would bring English top flight experience and is certainly a more technically assured option than Manuel Ugarte, while being more mobile than the aging Casemiro. Neves also has an existing rapport with Fernandes, having played alongside him at international level.
Should Carrick continue to deploy a 3-4-2-1, then there's little reason to change the front three, who are all decent fits for the formation. Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko and Bryan Mbeumo would all benefit from playing more minutes with each other — but should there be a change in shape, then there's potential to bring in an alternative.
Michael Carrick Potential Man Utd Formation (3-4-2-1)
Option Two: Switch to Carrick's Preferred 4-2-3-1
Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick before facing Stoke City
Carrick has most frequently used a 4-2-3-1 as a manager, and switching to this formation certainly has its benefits for United. The main one is that club captain Fernandes gets licence to play further forward in his natural position as a number 10, where he can be much more devastating.
With one defender dropping out of the team for an additional man in midfield, it's likely we see Heaven make way due to his inexperience, compared to the likes of De Ligt and Martinez, despite his performances in the Dutchman's absence. Diallo is also likely to come out of the team for a more natural right-back option, potentially Noussair Mazraoui.
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Assuming Neves is signed, he would play a deeper role alongside either Casemiro, who could act as a holder, or Kobbie Mainoo, who is more attacking. However, the options on the left-flank could be improved upon. Although Bryan Mbeumo is capable off the right, Matheus Cunha doesn't offer the same threat on the left as he does in more central areas. Amad Diallo is an option, but he has typically played off the opposite wing.
To address that hole, the club could do worse than pursue their links to Juventus' young star Kenan Yildiz. While they are keeping an eye on him as a potential replacement for Fernandes, the 20-year-old is just as dangerous on the left as he is from central positions, with him managing 11 goals and 12 assists in his 56 matches when lining up on that flank.
Michael Carrick Potential Man Utd XI (4-2-3-1)
Option Three: A Stacked 4-3-3 Line-Up
bruno fernandes
Should Carrick wish to play with his wingers further forward and more number eights, then the alternative to the above is dropping Fernandes deeper alongside Mainoo and Neves while pushing Yildiz and Mbeumo further forward. And if he wanted more pace on the right, then he could always turn to Amad instead of the Cameroon international.
There are no changes in defence, but Carrick could go for two different options when it comes to his striker. In games where he needs more of a target man, Sesko is perfect. But he could also choose to play Cunha, deploying him in a similar way to how Jurgen Klopp used Roberto Firmino, which would allow him to link play while the wingers offer threat in behind.
Michael Carrick Potential Man Utd XI (4-3-3)