Michael Carrick has made several subtle changes at Man United since his appointment as interim head coach last week.
Michael Carrick pictured at Carrington.(Image: 2026 Manchester United FC)
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The journey to Leigh Sports Village in rush hour traffic is notoriously difficult, but Michael Carrick and his backroom staff made the trip to show support for the academy on Tuesday. Ruben Amorim did not fancy popping down to Leigh to watch Manchester United's young players when he was in charge.
Amorim had a handful of opportunities to watch an academy game at Old Trafford but never did. The Under-21s played at Altrincham's Moss Lane, a two-minute drive away from Hale, during his tenure. Erik ten Hag attended an academy match with Mitchell van der Gaag at Moss Lane in September 2022, taking advantage of the ground's close proximity to where he was living.
Amorim once strolled over to watch an U21 game at Carrington, but he was already at the training ground and walked across the pitches to observe the contest. The fact that Amorim did not properly show his face at an academy game did not go unnoticed. It was an easy win, and one which he ignored.
The presence of Carrick at Leigh Sports Village was not tokenism - it was a symbol of support and reassurance for academy players, helping to show that there is a pathway to the first-team. The bottom line is Carrick attended an academy game after just seven days in charge as interim. Amorim did not properly attend a youth match during his 14-month stay in Manchester.
Solskjaer watching the U18s at Old Trafford, Ten Hag at Moss Lane and Carrick at Leigh.(Image: Getty Images)
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Carrick has made subtle changes since his appointment as head coach, and he oversaw a superb victory against Manchester City in his first game in charge. United insiders have preached it's not the time to get carried away after one game, but Carrick's small tweaks appear to be making a difference.
The 44-year-old faces another incredibly tough game against Premier League leaders Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday, and he will ultimately be judged at the end of the season. It's very early days, but there have been small positive signs across his first week in charge.
Carrick started by changing training sessions at Carrington. It's understood the different energy was welcomed by players from the first session, and the squad are understood to have been impressed by the detail.
Harry Maguire said during an interview with Sky Sports ahead of the Manchester derby: "I must say, with him [Carrick] and all of his coaching staff, I've been really impressed this week."
Carrick and his staff have altered training to put on shorter sessions but with more intense days, putting an increased focus on individual work with specific players to help them improve. The boss has been more hands-on during sessions, getting involved in training alongside Steve Holland and Jonathan Woodgate. Amorim would also get involved, but sometimes preferred to observe.
Holland's appointment was widely seen as a shrewd move. Jason Wilcox and Carrick worked together to identify and select the right profile of coaches to support him. Neither had worked with Holland previously, but agreed his skillset and experience would be beneficial.
Holland, a boyhood United fan, joined the club with bags of experience, having played a crucial role in England’s most successful era since Sir Alf Ramsey, and with elite managers at Chelsea.
United believe Carrick's backroom staff have a great blend of skillsets and personalities, and those who have observed their coaching at Carrington have said there is a strong dynamic beginning to develop.
Holland in action during training at Carrington.(Image: 2026 Manchester United FC)
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The small changes have extended beyond the training ground. The matchday routine at Old Trafford has been tweaked, with Carrick deciding that United would be better off arriving slightly later at the stadium, although the routine has not differed greatly from what Amorim implemented at the start of the season when he decided the players should meet at Carrington, eat together and travel as a group to the ground.
United once prepared for home matches by staying overnight in a city centre hotel but Ten Hag changed the routine following his appointment from Ajax. Ten Hag made the players arrive at Old Trafford four hours before kick-off. They would arrive individually and enjoy a pre-match meal at the stadium. The Dutchman also repurposed a large hospitality suite at Old Trafford and turned it into a pre-match room for his squad.
Amorim scrapped that approach for 2025/2026, and Carrick has slightly tweaked the revised routine, reviewing every detail to usher in a fresh feeling after Amorim's exit. That includes how Carrick speaks when he addresses the players. He has discussed what a privilege it is to play and work for the club, and has reiterated the importance of enjoying it.
Carrick spoke about not getting carried away in the dressing room following the Manchester derby victory. That may seem normal, a manager addressing his team after a game, however, Amorim did not speak to the squad after a match, preferring to gather his thoughts and speak to them the next day.
That has been Amorim's post-match approach in the dressing room throughout his coaching career. The Portuguese backs off, and his players are invited to hold their own debrief.
United will arrive slightly later at Old Trafford.(Image: 2026 Getty Images)
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The changes don't stop there. Carrick has restored faith in Kobbie Mainoo, who had not started in the Premier League this season until he was given the nod against Manchester City.
Mainoo requested to leave United on loan in the summer window for the sake of regular minutes and he was set to push for a loan exit again before Amorim's departure. Amorim pitted Mainoo against Bruno Fernandes, and clearly had doubts about the midfielder's ability to play in his 3-4-3 system.
In September, the MEN revealed that Mainoo was doing all he could to win his starting place back, working hard and even changing his private chef at home, but his frustration began to spill over with ill-advised social media activity - a few likes of posts about Amorim - toward the end of his tenure.
Mainoo's half-brother, Jordan Mainoo-Hames, wore a 'Free Kobbie Mainoo' shirt at Old Trafford, although United insisted Mainoo did not know about the stunt. The episode will be completely forgotten about if Mainoo returns to his best and helps to steer United into the Champions League.
The 20-year-old covered the most distance out of possession of any United player in the derby, clocking up 7.9 kilometres. He completed 31 passes, made two interceptions and two tackles. Mainoo's out-of-possession running was particularly impressive given that he completed his first 90 minutes of the season. "I thought Kobbie was great alongside Casemiro," Carrick said.
Carrick was pictured having a word with Mainoo in the tunnel as the players returned to the dressing room after full-time. Mainoo posted the photo, uploading his first United-related image since April.
Tougher tests await United in the coming weeks, but Carrick did pretty much everything right in his first seven days.