Manchester United boss Michael Carrick is delivering results on the pitch and showing Ineos made the right call.
2026 started with a bang for Manchester United, with head coach Ruben Amorim fired days into the new calendar year. Amorim had invited his own sacking with a bizarre press conference after a draw against Leeds, where he called out the club’s hierarchy.
The decision actually split fans at the time. Manchester United supporters were unsure about another mid-season managerial change.
Our poll on TalkingPoints in the wake of Amorim’s sacking showed this, 49.4 per cent of fans backed Amorim’s sacking, and 50.6 per cent said he should have stayed.
So what was the key reason to keep Amorim? It’s simple. Manchester United were in sixth place.
Ruben Amorim against Wolves
Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
Tell us your reasons why Michael Carrick should be permanent head coach!
Michael Carrick celebrates after the Premier League match between Everton and Manchester United at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in 2026 in Liverpool, England.
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The argument Ruben Amorim was underperforming
Ruben Amorim had taken Manchester United into sixth place when he was sacked as head coach.
The league position was viewed as a positive, in relation to the club’s disgraceful 15th placed finish in the 2024/25 season.
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The argument was that Amorim’s United were making progress, and the club were still in the mix for Champions League qualification.
Ineos‘ decision was viewed as a gamble, and it certainly looked like one after caretaker boss Darren Fletcher failed to win his two matches in charge.
But the United hierarchy felt that aside from issues with Amorim’s tempestuous nature and his tactics, the team was actually underperforming by being in sixth place.
With points left on the table in home draws with Bournemouth and Wolves, and a home defeat to Everton, there was certainly an argument that United should have been better positioned.
For multiple weeks, United went into matches knowing that a win would lift them to fourth place in the table, and Amorim failed to capitalise.
Michael Carrick shows Amorim WAS underperforming
New head coach Michael Carrick has had a galvanising impact on this Manchester United team.
Carrick has not needed any new signings to turn the situation around, he has simply brought a new management style and new tactics. He is maximising the potential of this current group of players.
After seven games in charge, Carrick has led United third place in the Premier League table.
Champions League qualification looks likely, rather than hopeful.
Ineos’ gamble looks like it has paid off.
The big argument to keep Amorim has been disproven.
Just settling for sixth place was not enough to keep Amorim around. Carrick has shown there is a higher ceiling to this group.
United would arguably be even higher than third place if Carrick had the entire season to work with. Arsenal and City are both looking over their shoulders.
To date Carrick’s United have a 85 per cent win rate with 2.71 points per game. Amorim managed only 40 per cent this season, at 1.55 ppg.
Man Utd have not done the double over Newcastle in the league since 2020/21
Are you confident we will win away vs Newcastle under Michael Carrick?
graphic- Results vs Newcastle away
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