Michael Carrick has been in charge of Manchester United for less than a month, but he has already made a number of changes to life at Old Trafford
Manchester United interim manager Michael Carrick celebrates after the Premier League match between Manchester United and Fulham
Michael Carrick has won each of his three games at the helm(Image: Getty Images)
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Ruben Amorim and Erik ten Hag's policy of requiring Manchester United players to train the day following matches has been scrapped by Michael Carrick.
The former England midfielder is enjoying a perfect beginning to his tenure as United's interim manager. His second temporary appointment has commenced with a commanding 2-0 home victory over Manchester City, a thrilling 3-2 success away at Arsenal and a last-gasp triumph against Fulham.
Carrick, 44, has implemented numerous changes since being handed control until the campaign concludes. He has already restructured Amorim's rigid 3-4-3 system and restored United academy product Kobbie Mainoo to the starting line-up.
However, there are several other regulations Amorim established that are now being reversed. One aspect both the Portuguese boss and Ten Hag shared was their determination to conduct training sessions the day following fixtures.
Both former United managers were resolute that players who featured in a match had to attend the training facility for recovery work the next day. This approach has been abandoned by Carrick, who has instead approved designated rest days within 24 hours of a fixture, according to [The Sun.](https://www.thesun.co.uk/football/38127447/man-united-news-carrick-tottenham/#:~:text=MICHAEL CARRICK has made a,Hag and Ruben Amorim eras.)
The recovery sessions have been rescheduled to take place two days following the final whistle. It represents another instance of Carrick dismantling Amorim's previous methods whilst implementing his own principles and philosophy.
Amorim prohibited players from taking holidays during international breaks, banned food from being brought into the dressing room and even stopped his own coaching staff from delivering complex tactical instructions to United stars. Meanwhile, Carrick has shortened training sessions - whilst ramping up the intensity of drills - and modified the time his squad arrives for fixtures.
Ruben Amorim, Manager of Manchester United, looks on at half time during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford on December 30, 2025 in Manchester, England.
Ruben Amorim had a large list of things he banned at United(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
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It's evident his alterations are yielding results. United's dramatic triumph over Fulham propelled them into the top four. They sit one point clear of Chelsea and trail second-placed Manchester City by just six points.
Carrick's team welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Old Trafford this weekend before making the trip to face West Ham on Tuesday, February 10. With United eliminated from all cup competitions and absent from Europe, Carrick has an unobstructed run at securing a top-four finish.
Presently, he's not anticipated to be given the role permanently. Nevertheless, if he continues stringing together wins, it will become increasingly difficult not to consider him. Carrick's former team-mate Ben Foster even suggests there's an outside chance he could be named as the next United manager at the end of the campaign.
Head Coach Michael Carrick of Manchester United in action during a first team training session at Carrington Training Ground on January 14, 2026 in Manchester, England
Carrick has lifted the mood at United since taking over the reins(Image: Manchester United via Getty Images)
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The ex-goalkeeper, speaking on his Fozcast podcast, said: "The weight of the badge is phenomenal for Manchester United, but then a new manager comes in, somebody that they know, somebody that they trust and they get on with as a friend.
"That's kind of the situation that they're in at the minute with Carrick, it's all friendly. He's only the interim and it's not full time. I would worry that if it goes full time, then that changes that dynamic a little bit.
"We've seen it before with plenty of teams, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and it changes the dynamic a little bit. But he's so far beaten Man City and Arsenal. What a start and he's got 15 games left for Manchester United now. If he wins ten of those 15 games, you've got to give him the job."