Michael Carrick has strengthened his bid to become the Manchester United permanent head coach with maximum points against Manchester City and Arsenal
Michael Carrick
Michael Carrick has defeated Manchester City and Arsenal in his first two games in charge(Image: Offside via Getty Images)
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Paul Scholes believes Manchester United's past dealings with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will leave the club wary of handing Michael Carrick the permanent manager's position despite his excellent beginning in the dugout.
Carrick, who previously served under Solskjaer's coaching setup, returned to Old Trafford this month on a deal running until the season's conclusion after the club dismissed Ruben Amorim.
The former Middlesbrough boss, who departed the Championship outfit by mutual agreement during the summer, has made an immediate impression in the position, defeating Manchester City and Arsenal in his opening two fixtures.
United's remarkable improvement in both displays and outcomes under Carrick has already sparked speculation that he might emerge as a serious candidate for the manager's role on an extended deal.
However, Scholes suspects United will remain "scarred" by their earlier decision to award Solskjaer the position permanently following an outstanding caretaker period - and this is expected to impact Carrick's prospects of doing likewise.
Speaking on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast, the former United midfielder said: "He's come into the job now and it's been that bad for a year that it couldn't really get any worse so the pressure isn't really on you while you're interim manager. Once you take that job full-time, at the start of the season next year, let's say, all of a sudden you've got to be winning games straightaway.
"They will be scarred a little bit from the Ole [Gunnar Solksjaer] thing. If the Ole thing hadn't have happened then it would probably be more likely.
"But if Michael has got to go up against, say, Thomas Tuchel in the summer then there's only one winner if you're looking at coaching big clubs and winning big prizes so you can't really compete with that."
Thomas Tuchel
Thomas Tuchel is one of the favourites to take over at Manchester United(Image: Getty Images)
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Nicky Butt shared this view and reckons Carrick will be fully aware his prospects of securing the United role permanently are limited. "I think Michael is that bright and intelligent, he'll understand the job that he's got," Butt continued.
"I can't ever imagine Michael going on the TV... maybe his last game if he's third or something like that... but up until then, he knows he's got a contract until the end of the season to get the club moving forward in the right direction for the next manager.
"He'll know that and I know Michael well, he won't be out there, he's not stupid enough to say, 'Yeah, I want the job', because that's not what he signed up to.
"His next job, if he wants to stay in football as a manager for another club, would be a good job if he does well here."
Scholes then floated the possibility of Carrick taking over at another of his former clubs, Tottenham Hotspur, suggesting: "It could be like a Tottenham manager from this [for Carrick]. It wouldn't surprise me."
Carrick played for Spurs prior to his switch to United in 2006. He played 75 times for the north Londoners after joining them from West Ham United.
Spurs have been linked with a managerial switch themselves after Thomas Frank's tough start to life. Despite their strong effort in the Champions League, Tottenham sit 14th in the Premier League table.