Michael Carrick has proved plenty already in just four games as Man Utd manager, but he’s about to face a new test for the first time against West Ham after Bryan Mbeumo’s scare.
Arsenal and Man City were put away in style to prove their marquee-game pedigree, Spurs’ deep block was broken apart in a way Ruben Amorim couldn’t against ten-man Everton, and Fulham’s transition threat was handled with care.
Away to West Ham has not been a happy hunting ground for Man Utd teams of late, so Carrick won’t be taking it easy, and with good reason.
Are you confident Man Utd will win vs West Ham and end the losing streak at the London Stadium?
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That’s because he’s set to face a new test for the first time as Man Utd manager, and Bryan Mbeumo’s recent scare hammered home the importance of getting it right.
Michael Carrick, Manager of Manchester United on the side line during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on February 7, 2026
Photo by Neal Simpson/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
Michael Carrick’s first “rotation” test
So far, Carrick has cut a serene figure at Old Trafford, preparing for games with a full week in between, barring the City game for which the players are motivated anyway.
Since that game, Arsenal, Fulham, and Spurs have all been weekend games, leaving plenty of time for Carrick and Co. to plan with a cohesive team.
It has also led to him naming an unchanged team in the last two games, and it could have been three had Patrick Dorgu not picked up a serious injury.
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That has allowed the players to build chemistry with each other and stay fit, since one game every week allows plenty of time for recovery.
Enter West Ham United with a turnaround time of just 72 hours or so.
Bryan Mbeumo already provided Carrick an injury scare as he was spotted limping out of the stadium after the Spurs game, and the manager will now be tested on his rotation acumen.
It’s a great test, if he can come through it successfully, because it will strengthen his credentials immensely, especially if United qualify for the Champions League next season, as they look likely to do.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer failed at squad management
A major reason why this West Ham game and the rotation question are so important is that Carrick can take another step towards convincing people that he is not just another Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
For a player who made his name as an assassin off the bench, Solskjaer’s squad management was a key criticism of his tenure.
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He ran his first-choice XI into the ground and failed to keep the players on the bench happy, so the drop-off in quality when they played was stark.
From now on until the end of this season, Carrick won’t get many more games with a short turnaround time, so he needs to nail his rotation policy for this game.
If he can make some changes to the XI and show tactical flexibility in addition, it will be as big a feather added to his cap as the wins against City and Arsenal.
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