Michael Carrick’s interim spell as Manchester United head coach will come to an end in seven games time
Bryan Mbeumo praised Michael Carrick’s tenure at Manchester United(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
If Lancashire need a couple of steady hands for their batting line-up this season, they could do a lot worse than popping up to their Old Trafford neighbours and poaching Amad and Bryan Mbeumo. The Manchester United duo did their best straight bat impression on Tuesday when questions about Michael Carrick’s future were thrown at them.
“It’s not for us as a player to decide,” Amad replied when asked whether he would like to see Carrick stay. “But he’s been very great, doing so much for the team, a lot of experience, he knows the club and has the DNA.”
“We’ve got good experience with him, I like playing under him as well, it’s not for us to decide, we try to take as much as we can,” Mbeumo echoed. Combined, the duo were asked three further questions about Carrick by the media pack in a 15-minute press conference. But the United attackers were impenetrable and stuck to their line.
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Neither player was ever going to make a grand gesture calling on Sir Jim Ratcliffe to appoint Carrick. However, whether they like it or not, the players will be the ones who hold perhaps the biggest sway on if the interim boss gets the permanent gig.
Performances from this United team have improved ten-fold compared to the Ruben Amorim era. It is hard to believe this is the same group of players but Carrick did not wave a magic wand and improve this squad overnight.
He wisely changed the formation to one that suited the group. He played players in their preferred positions and the results followed.
Nobody really expected Carrick to beat both Manchester City and Arsenal in his opening two games. Those results turned Carrick from a temporary option to a potentially permanent solution.
Since then, the Reds have suffered dips in their form. And yet, their only defeat came at the hands of Newcastle in a display you could sense Carrick despised.
They have dropped points against West Ham and Bournemouth – not ideal results but not damaging enough to tarnish Carrick’s image. And after Arsenal’s victory on Tuesday, United stand on the verge of Champions League football.
The top five teams in the Premier League will qualify automatically for the competition and, barring a disaster, United will accomplish Carrick’s sole objective. Should they manage that, Ineos will find it incredibly difficult not to appoint their interim boss on a permanent contract.
Unless the Reds can convince an elite head coach like Luis Enrique, Zinedine Zidane or Thomas Tuchel to take on the job, the alternatives would all be gambles. Carrick will have done a better job than either of his Ineos predecessors if he returns the club to Europe and saved the co-owners from further scrutiny.
He already has affordability and fan approval on his side. All Carrick needs now is Champions League qualification.
If he achieves that, he is the easy choice for the United gig, so long as these players keep performing for him. Amad and Mbeumo may protest their importance in the hiring process but, right now, Carrick’s fate lies in their hands.
Manchester United confirmed Harry Maguire had agreed a contract extension on Tuesday morning committing him to the club until 2027
Amad was full of praise for Harry Maguire after the Manchester United defender agreed a new contract on Tuesday(Image: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
“My club,” a proud Harry Maguire declared on social media after agreeing a new contract at Manchester United. The defender will remain with the Reds until 2027 and United hold the option to extend that deal by a further 12 months if they wish.
The announcement completed a superb turnaround for the defender who looked destined for the exit door at one stage. When Erik ten Hag decided to strip Maguire of the captain’s armband in July 2023, a new contract could not have looked more unlikely. But credit to the 33-year-old, he has redeemed himself.
Since being unburdened by the armband, Maguire has enjoyed some of his best moments for the club. His late winner in the incredible 7-6 aggregate victory over Lyon created one of the greatest Old Trafford memories in the club’s modern history. He added his name to United folklore further when his winner ended United’s hoodoo at Liverpool.
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It was a fitting goal for a player who was not expected to be used as often as he has this season. Heading into this campaign, the expectation was for Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro to nail down the starting centre-back roles. Once Lisandro Martinez returned from injury, he would then play in rotation at the back.
As for Maguire, fourth or fifth choice, depending on Ayden Heaven’s development, looked to be his destiny. And yet, due to injuries plaguing the defence – which Maguire was not immune from himself – the defender has become integral to this team; particularly since Michael Carrick’s return.
Maguire has started every match of Carrick’s tenure and while he will miss the Leeds game due to suspension, you would bet on him returning for the clash with Chelsea. Such importance to United earned him an England call-up for the March international break and while a ticket to the USA for the World Cup is not guaranteed, Thomas Tuchel’s nod was indicative of how well he has been doing.
Despite all this, Maguire’s new deal was not a certainty until recently. The centre-back was one of United’s top earners and it is understood he needed to agree a wage cut to stay at Old Trafford.
He does not fit the model Ineos player either. United’s co-owners want to shape a young squad with their careers ahead of them. Sign them cheap and either sell high or see them become club legends.
Maguire has no re-sale value now and is not the long-term future of the club. When he eventually leaves, United will not receive any of the £80m they splashed out on him.
But if his form from this season does not convince you he deserves a new deal, Amad’s comments in Tuesday’s press conference should have. “Harry has been a good captain, Bruno is the captain but he is one of them,” the Ivorian replied when asked about Maguire’s contract.
“He’s a big leader, he talks to everyone, especially the young lads coming from the academy. It’s important for the team and we’re really happy for him.
“We want to have him here for many, many years at the club.” United cannot transition to a team full of early 20s players with little to no experience, without players like Maguire remaining.
Having Maguire, who has overcome some of the biggest challenges an elite footballer can face, in the building to help guide younger players like Yoro, Heaven, Amad and countless others is so important. All the best clubs have leadership groups who set the standards.
During United’s toughest periods, these leaders were absent. Maguire would admit he was not ready for the responsibility at that time.
But Amad’s admission shows Maguire has matured into a role model for this inexperienced group. He can still play a crucial role in developing the young core of this team and being able to put in a shift when picked is merely a bonus.
Amad was at the centre of a hugely controversial incident against Bournemouth with his Manchester United teammates and pundits discussing the penalty call
17:02, 23 Mar 2026Updated 17:23, 23 Mar 2026
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Amad has been sent numerous Manchester United verdicts after he wanted a penalty against Bournemouth(Image: (Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images))
Manchester United players and former footballers have had plenty to say on the Amad penalty drama from the 2-2 draw against Bournemouth. With United a goal in front, Amad appeared to be fouled by Adrien Truffert in the penalty box, but Stuart Atwell waved appeals away, with Bournemouth going on to equalise moments later.
It was later revealed that the club would be filing a complaint to the PGMOL, with several players angered by the decision. Former Manchester City defender Bacary Sagna was in agreement with those opinions but stressed that lodging an official complaint is pointless.
He said: “Man United should’ve been awarded a penalty. If this foul is committed in the middle of the pitch, there are no doubts about the right decision.
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“There isn’t much point in filing a complaint – the game has been played and there’s no reversing the decision. VAR is good, but the problem lies in how it is used and who uses it.
“If a former player is managing VAR and the replays, they would’ve given that penalty, because they would’ve identified the defender is in an unnatural position and commits a foul. But instead, the referees don’t give the foul.”
United did get a form of response from the Premier League with their official Match Centre account on X explaining why VAR did not intervene.
Their post read: “#BOUMUN – 67’ The referee’s call of no penalty for a challenge by Truffert was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed the contact was not sufficient for a foul.”
Coming out of the clash, the anger largely stemmed from Harry Maguire conceding a penalty and being sent off for a challenge not too dissimilar. The United defender took to Instagram to make his feelings clear about the two decisions.
He said: “So soft but that’s where football is at atm and I should know better. You would think both decisions would reach the same outcome. We will be back after the break. Safe travel home reds , your support has been unbelievable.”
United captain Bruno Fernandes spoke to Sky Sports after the game and was unsurprisingly asked about the penalty incidents.
He said: “I know it’s difficult for the referee to give two penalties to the same team in one game but I don’t understand why VAR doesn’t get involved in that situation or with Harry [Maguire] because either one is a penalty and so is the other or none of them are,” the Portuguese said after the game.
“I think the other situation is a penalty but I also think the one on Amad is a penalty and that could’ve changed the game.”
Those two big decisions from Atwell also dominated Michael Carrick’s press conference with the 44-year-old left stunned that only one penalty was given.
United’s interim head coach said: “He’s definitely got one of them wrong because he’s given one penalty for us for the same thing that he’s not given one. There’s a two-arm grab. The Matheus one he gives, the second one on Amad he doesn’t, which I think is almost identical, really.
“If you have two hands on someone in the box and they go over and they’re in control of the ball, for me it’s two penalties. It will be interesting to see which one they acknowledge is wrong: the one we got or the one we didn’t get.
“It’s a huge moment. They don’t give it, they go down the other end and score and then it becomes all of a sudden, ‘oh, it needs to be a bigger penalty to overturn,’ just because they scored, when actually it’s a penalty and it should be a penalty if you’ve already given one.
“It’s baffling really to make sense of that. And because they score, the game flips a little bit and changes. We defended with the 10 men after all that very well. But the penalty one is just astonishing, I have to say. One of them must be wrong.”
The man opposite him in the dugout from Friday evening, Andoni Iraola, revealed his very different opinion after the stalemate.
Speaking on Match of the Day, the Cherries boss said: “Now we have the advantage we can see replays quickly and I didn’t think there was anything in that one [Amad]. I think the Evanilson one and the Matheus Cunha one are both penalties because defenders lose the position and then the Amad one is never a penalty.
“We asked for one in the first half – Harry Maguire with two hands behind his back – but I don’t think that was enough for a penalty either. I don’t think there is much to discuss.”
He also stated in his post-match press conference: “I would add another incident, I think there are four incidents. The two penalties they’ve called are clear penalties, the defenders involved in both situations lose their position and have to commit a foul.
“The Amad penalty I don’t think is a penalty, there is no contact and he goes to the floor very light. We complained also about the first half, two hands behind the back, Maguire on Evanilson, but I don’t think it’s enough in the same way to call a penalty.
“I think the decisions in the four cases are correct. I’ve had time to review them and I think the big decision they have got it right.”
Plenty of ex pros and now pundits were also on hand to share verdicts with United receiving one immediately from their former striker Andy Cole.
“I think the difference he is denying a goal scoring, just cause of the momentum Harry puts his arm out,” he said on Sky Sports. “I think it’s harsh. It’s a great touch, so I’m not going down, but in today’s game, for me it is a penalty. When we were playing, no chance.
“It’s [a] very physical [challenge] in today’s game. We’ll see with the another penalty in a minute that Harry Maguire gets sent off for, if I’m in that position I’m not going down so I don’t think it is a penalty.”
Even with the clash taking place on Friday evening, the controversial incidents have remained a big talking point over 48 hours on. Gary Lineker has become the latest pundit to disagree with Atwell’s decision.
He said on the Rest is Football podcast: “Manchester United got a point. Let’s discuss [what] came first. They got a point. They look in good shape, really, in third.
“I mean, that twist of, you know, they go one up and then there’s another penalty shout, which did really look like a penalty.
“And then for the team to go to the other end of the pitch and score, it’s like a double whammy against them. And then Maguire gets sent off for something that was quite similar to the one earlier on.”
Co-presenter Alan Shearer added: “I think the referee messed up in that. I mean, if you’re going to give one of those, then you have to give the others as well for me. I think he messed up.”
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Manchester United were left frustrated after not being awarded a second penalty during their 2-2 draw with Bournemouth on Friday night
Gary Neville addressed the topic of complaining to PGMOL in 2024(Image: James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)
Amad’s face told the whole story on Friday night as Manchester United conceded immediately after a big penalty appeal was waved away by referee Stuart Attwell during the game with Bournemouth. The winger was seeminglt pulled to the ground by defender Adrien Truffert shortly before Ryan Christie equalised for the Cherries.
VAR official Craig Pawson checked the challenge on the Ivorian but decided Attwell could stick with his on-field decision. “The referee’s call of no penalty for a challenge by Truffert was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed the contact was not sufficient for a foul,” the Premier League’s Match Centre posted afterwards.
The grievance might have ended there had it not been that 10 minutes later Harry Maguire was sent off and Bournemouth awarded a penalty for a similar challenge. On this occasion, the Premier League Match Centre explained: “The referee’s call of penalty and red card for Maguire for the denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity (DOGSO) was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed to be a holding offence with no attempt to challenge for the ball.”
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Anyone who watched the game would rightly be scratching their heads at that verdict. After the match, captain Bruno Fernandes called for consistency and felt both the Truffert and Maguire challenges were fouls.
Michael Carrick suggested it was too late for apologies – the match was over and the points had been dropped. And yet, the Reds have taken their complaints further and have contacted the PGMOL for an explanation.
This is where United are likely to lose the sympathy of one of their legends. Gary Neville was an ardent critic of this approach two years ago when Nottingham Forest sought a response from the referee’s governing body after Ivan Toney’s goal for Brentford.
He wrote on X at the time: “Clubs writing to the PGMOL is embarrassing. Liverpool and Arsenal started it and set the precedent of this nonsense.
“The refs should be doing better and are under enormous pressure at the moment. It’s in the clubs’ interests to work with them to make them improve. This public posturing is unnecessary.”
Little has changed in the Premier League since Neville’s comments. Officials remain under the same intense scrutiny and clubs are still seeking answers from the authorities when things go against them.
The trouble is that clubs and referees are sparring against each other instead of working collaboratively and that is why Neville will be against United’s course of action. In their most recent vote, Premier League clubs voted overwhelmingly to keep VAR despite fans being against the technology. United were one of the 19 clubs who voted to keep it in June 2024.
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Harry Maguire picked up his first red card of the season after being sent off during the 2-2 draw with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium
23:45, 20 Mar 2026Updated 23:47, 20 Mar 2026
Harry Maguire will miss one game for Man United after receiving a red card
Harry Maguire’s red card for Manchester United against Bournemouth will see him miss only one match – the game against Leeds United after the international break. The defender was judged to have pushed Evanilson in the penalty area, prompting referee Stuart Attwell to award a penalty.
However, after analysing the decision, former United striker Andy Cole disagreed with the decision, saying on Sky Sports: “I think the difference he is denying a goal scoring, just cause of the momentum Harry puts his arm out.
“I think its harsh. It’s a great touch so I’m not going down but in today’s game, for me it is a penalty. When we were playing, no chance.
“It’s [a] very physical [challenge] in today’s game. We’ll see with the another penalty in a minute that Harry Maguire gets sent off for, if I’m in that position I’m not going down so I don’t think it is a penalty.”
Meanwhile, United captain Bruno Fernandes shared a different view to Cole, claiming that Maguire’s challenge was a foul but also believed that Amad going down the other end, should have been given as a penalty.
“I know it’s difficult for the referee to give two penalties to the same team in one game but I don’t understand why VAR doesn’t get involved in that situation or with Harry [Maguire] because either one is a penalty and so is the other or none of them are,” the Portuguese said after the game.
“I think the other situation is a penalty but I also think the one on Amad is a penalty and that could’ve changed the game.”
Amad went down in the box under a challenge from Truffert, moments before Bournemouth equalised to make it 1-1.
The Premier League Match Centre’s explanation for the penalty and red card read on X: “The referee’s call of penalty and red card for Maguire for the denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity (DOGSO) was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed to be a holding offence with no attempt to challenge for the ball.”
The 2-2 draw has kept United third in the table, with fourth‑placed Aston Villa four points behind them.
Maguire will serve just a one‑game suspension, with the Premier League deeming the incident as the denial of a goal scoring opportunity.
A three-game are given as a violent conduct or endangering an opponent.
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As a result, he will be available for the upcoming fixtures against Chelsea, Brentford and Liverpool.
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Manchester United were denied a penalty against Bournemouth shortly before Ryan Christie equalised in the 2-2 draw.
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes(Image: Sky Sports)
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes was left furious by VAR’s decision to deny Amad a penalty in the 2-2 draw with Bournemouth. The Reds were leading 1-0 thanks to the captain’s penalty when Amad was pushed to the ground in the area.
Referee Stuart Attwell took a long look at the tackle and decided to wave play on. Moments later, Ryan Christie equalised for the Cherries. VAR Craig Pawson checked the Amad challenge and advised Attwell to stick with his decision, and the equaliser stood. After regaining the lead, United were reduced to ten men.
Evanilson went to ground after a push from Harry Maguire that looked very similar to the challenge on Amad that was not adjudged to be a penalty. The referee pointed to the spot and Maguire was shown a red card. Speaking to Sky Sports at full-time, Fernandes was clearly angered by the officiating. “I am more disappointed [than frustrated],” he said.
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“We had to finish the game with a lot of suffering and try to not concede a goal. The frustration also came a little bit when we could have gone 2-0 up but we end up conceding a goal, not getting a penalty and then we end up getting a penalty against where, more or less, it is the same situation as Amad.
“I know it is difficult for the referee to give two penalties to the same team but what I don’t understand is why VAR does not get involved in that situation or in the situation with Harry. Either one is a penalty or neither is a penalty.”
The captain continued: “Amad is getting to a point where he is going to shoot and he gets pushed or pulled, I can’t exactly see. You can see there is something which takes him out of balance.
“It is very frustrating for the small players as they always say it is very soft on a small player but when it is a big player they end up giving the foul. I do think it is a penalty [for Bournemouth] but I also think it is a penalty for Amad and that could have changed the game.”
United’s draw means they are four points ahead of Aston Villa, who play their game in hand on Sunday at home to West Ham.
Amad’s future at Manchester United is under the microscope following the winger’s cryptic post on social media
Amad’s list of admirers is growing(Image: PA)
Amad has become a vital figure at Manchester United during a challenging period.
The 23-year-old has been among the club’s most reliable and adaptable performers under different managers. The gifted forward was deployed at right wing-back by former head coach Ruben Amorim and generally impressed in the role.
Following Amorim’s dismissal and Michael Carrick’s appointment as interim manager, he has been restored to his preferred attacking position on the right wing.
However, after featuring in Carrick’s opening six matches, Amad was named among the substitutes for Sunday’s victory over Crystal Palace and Wednesday’s loss to 10-man Newcastle. Despite being highly valued at Old Trafford, there are indications that Amad could be considering his options.
Carrick made a point of commending Amad after omitting him from the starting XI against Palace. Justifying his choice to select match-winner Benjamin Sesko instead, he explained: “It’s not as if from week to week that all of a sudden we’re really a fan of certain players and then the next week you’re on the bench, and we don’t like you anymore.
“It’s a little bit on certain games, certain types, certain strengths. Amad has been massive for us. It’s not a major downside that he didn’t start. He’s a big player for us. I think that’s our approach to it, and the boys have been fantastic.”
On Amad, Carrick continued: “He’s such a dream to work with. His attitude, he’s so positive, he wants to learn, he wants to keep pushing. He asks for more, ‘What can I do more? How can I improve?’ He’s desperate to do well, and he’s been a huge part of the team.”
Transfer warning
Between the Palace and Newcastle games, Amad shared an intriguing message on social media that some have interpreted as a transfer hint. Posting an image of himself celebrating in a United strip on his Snapchat profile, he wrote: “What is meant to grow does not stay in the same place forever.”
The post could also be understood as suggesting that a player cannot always feature or play in the same position.
‘Wasting talent’
Amorim’s choice to utilise the attack-minded Amad as a wing-back drew criticism earlier this season. The decision was shaped by the signing of Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford, but still left many baffled, including former West Brom, Middlesbrough and Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray.
Speaking on No Tippy Tappy Football, the 61-year-old said: “Why would you be so stuck on one system and trying to force Amad as a right wing-back? Amad, who’s a brilliant footballer, Man United class, I would suggest. I speak to [former United defender] Gary Pallister a lot about this. Amad, he’s a genius.
“The ball’s stuck to his left foot. He is a brilliant football player and a brilliant human being. And you’re playing him at right wing-back just to fit into your system?”
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Sky shows at least 215 live Premier League games each season, an increase of up to 100, plus Formula 1, darts, golf and more.
Michael Carrick hasn’t looked to make changes to his Man United starting XI since returning as interim head coach but the draw at West Ham could mean tweaks are made at Everton.
Mbeumo, Fernandes and Amad celebrate
It hasn’t been the easiest start to life at Manchester United for Benjamin Sesko. And the Slovenian probably couldn’t believe his luck when his recent rich vein of form coincided with United’s best string of results this season, meaning Michael Carrick had little reason to change a winning team.
Of course, some of Sesko’s goals have contributed to United’s purple patch; his late strike against Fulham ensured United bagged three points that should never have been in jeopardy, and a touch of magic from the striker at the London Stadium meant Carrick’s unbeaten start to life back at the club remained intact.
But both of the aforementioned goals came as a substitute. Being able to have an impact off the bench is a brilliant trait for any attacking player to possess, but £66.4million is an awful lot to pay for a super sub.
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Carrick’s penchant for waiting until around the 70-minute mark to make a substitute was often questioned during his time at Middlesbrough, and it came further under the spotlight after the draw with West Ham. United were crying out for a focal point to their attack, and when it finally arrived Sesko produced the goods. Had he been introduced sooner, Carrick might still be able to boast a 100 per cent record.
A haul of five goals in six games means the argument for Sesko to start at Everton is an easy one to make. Throw in the lacklustre display at the London Stadium and Sesko’s upgrade from substitute to starter barely even warrants debate.
The problem is, who drops out?
Bruno Fernandes has been the best player in the Premier League this season and the United captain is the first name on the team sheet. Bryan Mbeumo has enjoyed a seamless transition to one of the Premier League’s top clubs, notching nine top-flight goals to lead the United scoring charts, and he also has to start.
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That leaves Amad and Matheus Cunha. Both can be – and have been – United matchwinners. Cunha has struggled at times this season after a positive start, but he’s as close to a maverick as modern-day football dares to entertain, and he can produce something out of nothing even when on the fringes of a game.
Since his return from the Africa Cup of Nations in January, Amad hasn’t quite produced the livewire performances we’ve come to expect from the Ivory Coast star. He has failed to record a goal or an assist since returning from AFCON, and perhaps it is time to take him out of the spotlight.
It’s easy to forget Amad is still just 23, given he was so often United’s only attacking hope alongside Fernandes during Ruben Amorim’s first season at Old Trafford. There are bound to be peaks and troughs as he develops.
Carrick has been lauded for his man-management skills since his return to United, and his handling of Amad could be key. Amad spoke in glowing terms when asked about the interim head coach recently, saying: “Having Carrick is very enjoyable and we enjoy the training. He’s a nice guy. He talks with everyone and I’m so lucky because I know him already – he was here when I arrived, when I was 18.”
That personal touch will go a long way if Amad is handed an initial watching brief at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Manchester United are unbeaten in their first five matches under Michael Carrick, a run that included four victories.
Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick leads his team in a lap of honour after beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in the Premier League(Image: Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Amad has revealed that Michael Carrick keeps reiterating to the Manchester United players before games that they are playing for the fans as well as themselves. Carrick has lifted the mood at Old Trafford after he was appointed head coach until the end of the season following Ruben Amorim’s exit.
The interim head coach has been in the dugout for five matches and has led the Reds to four victories, including wins against Manchester City and Arsenal.
On an episode of the Inside Carrington podcast, Amad revealed what life has been like under Carrick since his return to the club. “I think having Michael Carrick as head coach in the team is very important because he knows the club,” the winger explained.
“He’s the main man who can tell us [about] the club we are playing for. Before the games he keeps telling us: ‘You guys, you are playing for yourself, but you’re playing also for the fans,’ and he’s telling us the fans are very important for us.
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“We are also playing for the fans because we want to win and we want to give them something back. Having Carrick is very enjoyable and we enjoy the training. He’s a nice guy. He talks with everyone and I’m so lucky because I know him already – he was here when I arrived, when I was 18.
“I also played against him when he was in the Championship, so I know him since a long time and he’s a nice guy.” Whether Carrick’s popularity with the United fanbase and players will see him appointed permanently remains to be seen.
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United will appoint a permanent head coach in the summer. Oliver Glasner is an option for the Reds, having confirmed he would be leaving Crystal Palace at the end of the season.
England head coach Thomas Tuchel looks to be out of the running after he signed a new contract with England that will take him to Euro 2028. Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti and Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann have also been linked but the World Cup this summer would complicate any approach.
