Michael Carrick, Manager of Manchester United
Carrick is currently serving as Manchester United's interim boss
Manchester United are set to go into the run-in confident of a return to European football’s top competition after a two-year absence, with last week’s confirmation that the Premier League's top five will all qualify for the competition.
Ahead of their Monday night clash against bitter rivals Leeds United, the Red Devils currently sit third in the Premier League table with a gap of seven points to sixth-place Chelsea.
With only one Premier League defeat so far in 2026, the club are enjoying a superb turnaround under interim boss Michael Carrick, who was installed in the Old Trafford dugout back in January following the sacking of Ruben Amorim.
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Manchester United were floundering in seventh place when Carrick took over from the Portuguese, who had led the club to their worst finish of the Premier League era in the previous season.
The former England midfielder has since steadied the ship, with the club winning seven of his ten Premier League games in charge as the 44-year-old continues to put in a strong case forward for being named the permanent boss this summer.
Michael Carrick overseeing training as Manchester United interim boss
The Brazilian has made more than 250 Premier League appearances for Liverpool
A host of high-profile names have been linked with the job since January, including the likes of Luis Enrique and Unai Emery, but it would appear that Carrick’s case is continuing to strengthen.
A report from TEAMtalk suggests that Carrick is now ‘firmly on course’ to be named the club’s next permanent boss in the summer, with Enrique and Emery off the hierarchy’s wishlist.
They add that there is now just one other leading contender for the role, quoting Everton CEO Keith Wyness, who claims that Germany national team boss Julian Nagelsmann the only candidate rivalling Carrick for the post in what is now a two-horse race for the role.
He claims that Carrick is ‘the favourite’ and adds that talk of the club going after United States boss Mauricio Pochettino is a ‘red herring’.
Carrick, meanwhile, has offered his take on the situation in the run-up to the Old Trafford clash against Leeds, telling Sky Sports: “I understand the situation, and where we were at when we came back in January, the plan for the rest of the season and the possibilities in the summer. I don’t think that’s changed.
Ruben Amorim, Manager of Manchester United, reacts during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Sunderland
Carrick replaced Ruben Amorim in January
“Things will get sorted when they get sorted. For me, it’s just about doing the best job that we can and plan for the future and the good of the club and the players in the squad. I am not coming to get through to the end of the season and deal with what’s next.
“I think it’s important we make a plan and follow that through for the squad to get stronger.
“If I am part of it, then I am part of it. If not, then that is the situation I walked into.”