Jamie Carragher firmly believes that Michael Carrick will be named the permanent manager of Manchester United after successfully turning the club’s fortunes around during his interim management stint.
Under Carrick’s leadership, United secured a crucial Premier League victory against Brentford with a 2-1 scoreline on Monday night, bringing them closer to a position in next season’s Champions League after a year of absence from European competitions.
During the match, Casemiro and Benjamin Sesko found the net, while Mathias Jensen scored a late consolation goal for Brentford, but United held on to secure all three points.
Carragher stated on Sky Sports: “There’s no doubt he’s going to be Manchester United’s manager next season. He absolutely deserves it. The team has produced results comparable to a title contender, even without the distraction of European football. No one could have achieved better results under the circumstances. While performances haven’t always shone, Carrick continues to deliver important victories with a team that isn’t at its best.”
He added, “Compared to Ruben Amorim, whose main criticism was his unwillingness to adapt, Carrick has demonstrated flexibility in his approach.”
This victory keeps United in third place, 11 points ahead of sixth-placed Brighton, as they inch closer to securing qualification for Europe’s elite competition. To mathematically guarantee their place, United needs just two more points from the remaining four matches. If Brighton or Bournemouth fail to win this weekend, they will be out of contention.
Since Carrick took over in January, United has secured nine wins in 13 top-flight matches, amassing the most points in the league during that stretch.
Sesko and Casemiro’s goals helped bring United closer to Champions League qualification (Reuters)
Initially taking charge with the team in sixth position and at risk of missing out on Champions League qualification, Harry Maguire acknowledged Carrick’s impact, stating, “We faced tough matches against Arsenal and Man City when Carrick stepped in, but we came away with six points. Everyone’s bought into his vision, and our unity has grown. We know we can score from anywhere, and with this formation, there’s still room for improvement. Since he took over, we’ve transformed our results and made significant progress in both attacking and defending.”