Manchester United endured a very disappointing first half of the season under Ruben Amorim, but they have shown great improvement since Michael Carrick’s appointment.
Michael Carrick has done well to revitalise the team and get them playing impressive football. Manchester United are now well placed to finish in the top three of the Premier League. Naturally, there has been speculation that the Englishman could be handed the job full-time.
Manchester United have also been linked with other managers, and it remains to be seen what the club hierarchy decides. The former English international has certainly earned the right to manage the club next season as well. Manchester United have impressed with their performance and their attitude. Carrick has done well to maximise the resources at his disposal.
Ruben Amorim vs Michael Carrick stats
- Ruben Amorim: 20 Premier League games, 8 wins, 7 draws, 5 losses, 31 points, 1.55 points per game.
- Michael Carrick: 10 Premier League games, 7 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss, 23 points, 2.30 points per game.
- Non‑penalty xG conceded per game: Amorim: ~1.3 xG per game, Carrick: ~0.9 xG per game.
- Pass sequences of 10+ passes per game: Amorim: 9.7 per game, Carrick: 12.2 per game.
Carrick confident of leading Manchester United
The Manchester United head coach has insisted that he is confident that he will be the right man to manage the club going forward as well.
“There are parts of [what comes with being Manchester United manager] – and I am not being blasé when I say it – that I have known for so long,” Carrick told Sky Sports.
“The pressure is something I have lived with for a long time. What’s expected here, how to go about achieving things, the amount of support we have, and the scrutiny is something that becomes normal after a while. It does not feel as big as it probably looks from the outside for me personally.”
Manchester United are one of the biggest clubs in the world, and they are expected to regularly fight for major trophies. Time will tell whether the club hierarchy is confident that Carrick can guide the team to that level.
The Red Devils previously backed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after an impressive spell as the interim boss, but the decision backfired. They will be sceptical about proceeding with a manager who is yet to win anything at the elite level.
That said, Carrick is a young, highly rated manager. The English tactician has impressed in the Premier League over the last few months, and he has certainly shown that he can battle it out against top managers.
Manchester United have beaten Manchester City and Arsenal under his management. Carrick has been a popular candidate with the players as well, and it remains to be seen how the situation unfolds.
