Manchester United overwhelmed Manchester City on Saturday afternoon in Michael Carrick's first game in charge since 2021 as the hosts came away 2-0 victors
Manchester United head coach/manager Michael Carrick applauds the fans at full time during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City
Michael Carrick won his first Manchester United match in charge since 2021 against Manchester City(Image: Getty)
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Michael Carrick enjoyed a dream start as Manchester United manager after overseeing a 2-0 victory over Manchester City. And the new boss appears to have made a telling transfer decision, too.
Ruben Amorim was shown the door at Old Trafford after just 14 months in charge, with former player Carrick stepping in until a permanent successor is found at the end of the season.
In his first match during this latest tenure, having previously served as caretaker boss in 2021, he masterminded an impressive 2-0 win. One of the starters in this clash was Harry Maguire. The England star, who cost the club £80million when he signed from Leicester City in 2019, had fallen out of favour under Amorim.
His contract is due to run out in June 2026 and there have reportedly been offers for him. However, it seems that Carrick has made a decision about the defender's future, as the Manchester Evening News brings you the latest news from Old Trafford.
Michael Carrick makes Harry Maguire decision
Maguire put in a commendable performance in the win against City and this show of faith from new manager Carrick suggests that he will be part of the 44-year-old's plans in Manchester.
The Sun reports that Inter Milan are interested in signing Maguire in January, with his contract set to expire in a few months. However, by selecting him to start against City, Carrick has signalled his desire for Maguire to stay at least for this transfer window, with reports suggesting that the new boss is insistent that he will remain until the end of the season.
Steve Holland, assistant to Carrick at United, is said to have a high opinion of Harry Maguire from their time together with England. Carrick is keen for the club to rebuff any offers for the defender in this transfer window.
Harry Maguire of Manchester United celebrates victory following the Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield
Maguire looks set to stay at Old Trafford, according to reports(Image: Getty)
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Joshua Zirkzee urged to force exit
Another player who found game time limited under Amorim is forward Joshua Zirkzee. The Dutchman was the first acquisition of the INEOS era, costing approximately £37m, but struggled for playing time under the Portuguese manager.
As the January transfer window opened, it was widely reported that Zirkzee was likely to depart Old Trafford. However, these plans were put on hold, despite apparent interest from Roma.
Now, fellow Dutchman Ruud Gullit has encouraged the 24-year-old to push for a move away from Manchester, where he continues to be a substitute.
Joshua Zirkzee pictured
Zirkzee has been urged to force a transfer(Image: Getty)
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Speaking to Metro, Gullit said: "I saw that Roma maybe wanted to take him and I hope that he will leave. For me, there was always a doubt that it was the right decision to go to Manchester United. I think he should have stayed in Serie A.
"He was doing well with Bologna and I think he should have gone to a better team in Italy. For him it would have been much better. Manchester United have to figure out what that vibe is there, because something is wrong there. The energy is not good, it doesn't feel good at all.
"Look at Scott McTominay. It is unbelievable how well McTominay has done since he left Old Trafford. It's incredible, it's fantastic to watch. At United he was more like a 12th man, than he was a player and look how he has flourished, just playing every game is so important."