Gary Neville believes that former Manchester United and England teammate Michael Carrick is now playing a key role for the next permanent manager of the Red Devils.
The 50-year-old Sky Sports pundit dropped his clear assessment of Michael Carrick after the latest high point of the interim Manchester United manager’s spell.
Is Gary Neville wrong to be ruling Michael Carrick out of the running for the permanent job already?
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Man Utd stunned Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday evening and the Red Devils chalked up another important three Premier League points in their campaign.
Arsenal’s defeat at the hands of United came after the incredible start that Carrick made to his interim head coach role until the end of the 2025-26 campaign.
Man Utd blew Manchester City out of the water in the final Manchester derby of the season and a euphoric Carrick oversaw a convincing 2-0 win at Old Trafford.
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Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick celebrates with Benjamin Sesko after the Premier League match between Arsenal and Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium in 2026 in London, England.
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Gary Neville wants Man Utd legend Michael Carrick to keep the Old Trafford hot seat warm for Thomas Tuchel and Carlo Ancelotti
Ruben Amorim’s sacking as Manchester United manager earlier this month has left the door open for the next person to land in the Old Trafford hot seat permanently.
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Ineos and Red Devils co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe are using Michael Carrick to help plug the void left behind after their decision to axe Ruben Amorim from Man Utd.
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It's been a perfect start for Michael Carrick, will it continue? Which games are you worried about?
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United have already seen several managers tipped as potential successors to Amorim, including the likes of Thomas Tuchel, Carlo Ancelotti and Oliver Glasner.
Speaking after Man Utd’s 3-2 win over Arsenal, Gary Neville said that Carrick could be the key for handing over the “baton” to either Thomas Tuchel or Carlo Ancelotti.
“They played properly, with intensity,” he said on Sky Sports.
“I think it’s right that Carrick keeps the job until the end of the season and then hands the baton over to a Tuchel or an Ancelotti, someone of that world-class ilk.”
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Gary Neville is wrong for how Michael Carrick should approach Man Utd role amid the Thomas Tuchel and Carlo Ancelotti links
Just like Ole Gunnar Solskjaer before him, a scintillating interim managerial run for Carrick could make him desirable No 1 in the hearts and minds of United fans.
Carrick already has a deep-rooted connection with Red Devils supporters, owing to the 44-year-old’s impressive – and still underrated – playing spell at Old Trafford.
After wins vs City and Arsenal… should Michael Carrick get the Man Utd permanent job?
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Carrick
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The United legend has also sent a statement of intent with the Red Devils’ performances against Premier League heavyweights Manchester City and Arsenal.
Neither the City nor the Arsenal results were scrappy affairs, with Man Utd putting on strong displays under the tactical direction of interim head coach Carrick.
No, Mr Neville, Carrick is not simply passing the Man Utd ‘baton’ over to the likes of England manager Thomas Tuchel or Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti.
Carrick has his hands firmly around the baton and the former Middlesbrough manager is quietly strengthening his own candidacy for the permanent position.
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