Michael Carrick has made a number of changes since returning to Manchester United and Wes Brown has been impressed with one particular decision the interim head coach has made
Michael Carrick has impressed since his Manchester United appointment
Michael Carrick has impressed since his Manchester United appointment(Image: Getty Images)
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Michael Carrick has managed to improve performances from his Manchester United players by abolishing a Ruben Amorim rule and granting them an extra day off following matches. That is the opinion of ex-United defender Wes Brown, who has praised Carrick for introducing the modification and providing the squad with an "extra bonus".
Carrick, 44, has made a considerable impression since taking over from Amorim as United's head coach for the remainder of the campaign. The former United midfielder returned to Old Trafford in mid-January and has triumphed in six of his opening seven fixtures, collecting 19 points from a possible 21 in the Premier League.
It's a sequence that has propelled United up to third in the standings, sitting above fourth-placed Aston Villa on goal difference and three points clear of Liverpool in fifth. With 10 matches remaining, Carrick has positioned the Reds favourably to secure Champions League qualification for the first time in three years.
Since his return to the Reds, Carrick has implemented several alterations. Amongst them is eliminating Erik ten Hag and Amorim's approach of requiring the United players to train the day after fixtures.
Carrick has instead introduced designated rest days within 24 hours of a match, with recovery sessions rearranged to occur two days following the final whistle. The decision has been warmly welcomed by the squad, who have appreciated being able to momentarily enjoy a positive result before returning to work.
Offering his view on Carrick's alteration, Brown, who made more than 350 appearances for United during a distinguished spell at Old Trafford, believes it has created a favourable impression amongst the players.
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick
Michael Carrick has made a positive impact as Manchester United manager(Image: James Gill - Danehouse, Getty Images)
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Brown, who was speaking with Bet MGM, told the Mirror: "For whatever reason, he's [Carrick] done it that way. For me, I think it's a respect thing. I'm guessing if they weren't winning, I don't think that would be happening, first of all.
"But it's like a little extra bonus, if that's how you want to put it. And I think it's something that can work in football, as long as it's done in the right way. You can get a reaction like we have at Manchester United.
"It's a tough old season, in the sense that there's many games. But if you look when Michael's came in, we've just got the Premier League now. There's lots of other teams that are still in other competitions and I don't think that extra day will do anyone any harm."
Given Carrick's remarkable start since returning to United, speculation has emerged suggesting he is the leading candidate to become the long-term, permanent replacement for Amorim in the summer.
When asked about whether Carrick should be appointed permanently, Brown responded: "Well, first of all, he's definitely put his name very high up that list, if there's still a list. Sometimes I always say, why change if it's working?
Michael Carrick, Manager of Manchester United applauds the fans after the Premier League match between Manchester United and Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on March 1, 2026 in Manchester, England
Michael Carrick recorded his sixth victory as Manchester United interim manager(Image: 2026 Allstar)
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"I think we all thought, we all knew it was going to be a difficult job. There's lots of pressure on this job. The one thing I will say is it's his second time in. He would have made a few mistakes the first time. And then mistakes he would have made, he's obviously trying to get them right this time.
"But he had a great spell at Middlesbrough. People will say it wasn't the Premier League, but with the team he had, very young players, he still did a very good job.
The only thing I would say is, if he didn't get the job, you're bringing someone in new again. Everything changes in the sense that the staff change. No one really knows the manager.
"So obviously that can still happen, but Michael's definitely got himself as one of the front-runners. You can't dismiss that in any way with the way he's been playing."
United are back in action when they journey to Newcastle United on Wednesday. The Reds are aiming to stretch their unbeaten streak to 12 in the Premier League and provide another significant boost to their top-four aspirations.
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