Michael Carrick has won four of his five matches in charge of Manchester United, but Gary Neville and Roy Keane have been told they are wrong about what should happen next

Gary Neville and Roy Keane have been told they are wrong about Michael Carrick and they must remember that football is unpredictable. Keane last week poured cold water on suggestions that Carrick should be appointed Manchester United’s permanent head coach

The former Republic of Ireland international, who won numerous trophies during his time at Old Trafford, believes Carrick lacks sufficient ‘football knowledge’ to lead his old club to the Premier League title, insisting they must seek a different candidate for the permanent role.

Neville backed Keane’s view and believes that United must ‘get the best’ in their head coach search, with Carrick possibly learning under a proven winner as an assistant, even though the former England international is unbeaten in his first five matches in charge, with the Reds in the Champions League qualification places.

However, former United forward Louis Saha has disagreed with his old team-mates, and he believes the pair have forgotten that football is unpredictable.

“Michael Carrick’s future is a decision for the board and definitely depends on the project,” he told CasinoHawks. “They’ve heard from the manager and others who are interested in the job.

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“They know it’s a difficult one. What Carrick has done in the last five games is amazing because he has managed a transition. A lot of players were not fully confident or sure about how they were going to play, and it gelled very quickly. Everyone is on board now. It has changed.

“I think everyone is allowed to have their opinion, and that’s fine. Definitely, Roy and Gary are well placed to have those very strong feelings. I understand them, but I don’t agree.

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“I really feel like if someone is doing their best and obviously has to improve, he’s not an experienced manager, but an experienced manager can struggle there too.

“Nobody has any guarantees, so it’s really hard for anybody to predict what’s going to happen. We know that there is a definitely different situation if you qualify for Europe or the Champions League; you have different challenges. It’s going to be a challenge for everyone, and even an experienced manager can struggle there.

“It’s just about having the right communication and the right tactics. We’ve seen that he’s able to learn very quickly. I am backing him up. Definitely, it doesn’t mean that he won’t face any challenges or won’t make any mistakes.

“Any experienced player knows that during a career, there are a lot of situations that you can’t predict. This is football. You may end up with the best tactics and still face a better opponent on the day. And everybody is going to criticise you.

“Very experienced players know that, but they tend to forget when they become pundits. They think that everything is very logical. No, it’s not. Football is very, very, very unpredictable.”

Michael Carrick is in the frame for the Man Utd job but he still has obstacles to overcome and there are a few fixtures that could define how things go for him.

15:00, 17 Feb 2026

Michael Carrick might now be the bookmakers’ favourite to be Manchester United’s head coach at the start of next season, but inside Old Trafford, there is no desire to get carried away.

Carrick himself has urged United to take their time over an appointment and avoid any “knee-jerk” decisions, so they are in no rush to confirm a coronation after five games in charge for the 44-year-old, even if they have been an impressive five games.

The former United midfielder is now odds-on to keep the job and some of his rivals for the job have either been ruled out of the running (Thomas Tuchel) or seen their own stock fall at a crucial time (Oliver Glasner, Roberto De Zerbi).

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But with a dozen games still to go this season and work to be done to guarantee United’s return to the Champions League, these are the games that could yet be make or break for Carrick.

Everton (away) – Monday, February 23

United’s first trip to the Hill Dickinson Stadium will present a similar challenge to the West Ham game. Nuno Espirito Santo’s team sat deep, denied space and made it difficult for Carrick’s side to create anything.

It left a couple of questions unanswered about the ability to break down a deep defence and a compact team. Can Carrick and his coaching staff find the answers in the 13-day break between games?

If United go to the banks of the Mersey, produce a better attacking performance, and show they have the tactical game plan to open up a low block, then it will be considered a major success for Carrick.

Newcastle (away) – Wednesday, March 4

The intensity and aggression of Newcastle’s play have been difficult for United to handle in recent seasons, and in truth, they were lucky to win the reverse fixture at Old Trafford on Boxing Day.

United have lost their last three trips to St James’ Park and by an aggregate score of 7-1. Newcastle have won the shot count 57-23 in those matches, and it has been one-way traffic. The last time United won there was in front of empty stands in October 2020.

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So what sort of performance will Carrick’s men deliver? The fact that this is the last remaining midweek game, sandwiched between two weekend fixtures, makes it another test, given the lack of training ground time to prepare for an intense battle.

Bournemouth (away) – Friday, March 20

Carrick has a couple of chances to get one over potential rivals for the job this summer. He faces Glasner’s Crystal Palace on March 1 at Old Trafford and then, later the same month, Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth on the south coast.

The Basque’s football is probably more translatable to a higher level and his record against United is excellent. Bournemouth are a team that runs up and down all day, and they will look to really test United.

Bournemouth’s last three visits to Old Trafford have ended in two 3-0 wins and a 4-4 draw, and in total, they are five unbeaten against United. They look to be finding some form again, and this could be a decisive test for Carrick against one of the Premier League’s best coaches, who has his eye on a big job this summer.

Liverpool (home) – Saturday, May 2 (TBC)

In the space of three games at the end of April, United face Chelsea away and Liverpool at home in what is clearly a big couple of weeks in the race for Champions League football.

It is possible that those three teams could yet reel in Aston Villa, but for now it looks a simple equation of two from three for Champions League football between a trio of traditional powerhouses in the Premier League.

The outcome of their games against each other will be crucial. A trip to Stamford Bridge will be tricky, but it is Liverpool on the outside looking in at the moment. Any win against them is big for a United coach and if Carrick gets one over Arne Slot at Old Trafford in a potentially defining fixture in the battle for Europe, it will be a momentous day.

Brighton (away) – Sunday, May 24

The final day of the season and we can only guess where United will be by then. Possibly in third, which would surely make Carrick a certainty for the job. Fourth would probably do the job as well. Maybe they will still need a result at the Amex Stadium.

It’s worth rewinding to the season when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer came in as interim manager, started off brilliantly, but then saw results nosedive. He had been given the job on a permanent basis in March, but had United waited until the end of the season, they would have probably made a different decision.

None of the last six games of that season ended in a win, and only two of the last 12 were victories. It was probably a sign of things to come. Carrick has started brilliantly, but he will need to finish brilliantly as well to make sure of a contract extension.

Harry Maguire’s future and comments from one his team-mates feature in our Manchester United round-up

Manchester United enjoyed a restful weekend as their top-four rivals were in FA Cup action. United exited the competition at the third round stage after a loss to Brighton, giving them an extended break between games.

United’s winning streak under Michael Carrick was halted by West Ham last week, though he remains undefeated since succeeding Ruben Amorim. The next fixture is a visit to Hill Dickinson Stadium to face Everton in a week’s time.

United will utilise their extended break on the training pitch, and it has also given some of Carrick’s players an opportunity to regain fitness following injuries. Mason Mount, who missed the matches against Fulham and West Ham due to a muscle problem, is one such player hoping to return in time to face the Toffees.

Matthijs de Ligt is also on the verge of returning, with Patrick Dorgu being the only long-term absentee. Carrick will be hoping to have nearly a full squad to choose from for the remainder of the season as he strives to keep United in the top four and secure a Champions League return.

Here, Manchester Evening News provides all the latest updates from Old Trafford.

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Harry Maguire stance addressed

Harry Maguire’s teammates believe the club would be “mad” not to extend the defender’s contract past the summer. The 32-year-old has experienced a revival under Carrick after being used sparingly under both Amorim and Erik ten Hag.

There’s growing support among fans for offering Maguire a new contract, with his current one due to expire at the end of the 2025/26 season. It appears that the United dressing room shares this sentiment, with a source telling The Sun about his importance to the team.

The source said: “The players think it would be madness if he was not offered a new deal. Harry has endured plenty of ups and downs at United but has come through all that and is playing really well.

“He’s very well-respected in the dressing room and is passing on a lot of knowledge to some of the younger players like Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro.

“Everyone likes him and respects him and the majority of the players want the club to give him a deal.”

Bryan Mbeumo receives verdict

Matheus Cunha has been full of praise for fellow summer signing Bryan Mbeumo, stating that the ex-Brentford player can bring “something special” to Old Trafford. The duo joined United last year for a combined £128.5million and have since provided the goalscoring threat the team has been sorely lacking.

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Between them, they’ve contributed 20 goals and assists, rapidly establishing themselves as fan favourites. It appears Cunha’s top choice at United is also Mbeumo, as he revealed to Premier League Productions exactly what his attacking teammate brings to the side.

He said: “A lot of energy. What a lovely guy. I’m around him every day, he’s someone that is fun. I always play against him and we talk about the games that we played in the past, Brentford against Wolves.

“But to be together now and help United is something that when we arrive here, we feel like, wow, we can be a small part of the success of the team. It’s something that is a challenge that is everything to us.”

Speaking about Mbeumo’s impressive displays since his return from AFCON, Cunha added: “He’s very intelligent, he’s very clever. So he can use his strength very, very good, like going to space, he shoots so well, so good.

“This is the kind of number nine we need to have. Of course, he’s someone that helped us so much and it’s a pleasure to play with him. He’s more than the position that he plays. Being around him in the pitch, we know he can create something special.”

The continuation of Marcus Rashford’s uncertain future at Manchester United remains across headlines

Michael Carrick has been given a weekend respite at Manchester United due to the FA Cup schedule.

The Red Devils exited the tournament last month following a 2-1 loss to Brighton at Old Trafford. Whie their top-four competitors are all playing across the weekend, United have been granted a break before their next Premier League fixture away to Everton on February 23.

Although every chance of silverware this campaign has now passed for United, they remain well-placed to secure Champions League qualification, which would mark progress in the right direction.

As the club’s search for a new permanent manager continues, with Thomas Tuchel the most recent candidate to withdraw from contention, there’s no shortage of activity at Old Trafford. Here, we provide the latest on a transfer development concerning Marcus Rashford, alongside comments from one United player regarding Carrick.

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Marcus Rashford clue

Marcus Rashford has been the subject of discussion ever since his loan switch to Barcelona at the beginning of the campaign. However, the Spanish club appear to have enhanced his prospects of remaining there on a permanent basis in a statement regarding their Copa del Rey fixture against Atletico Madrid.

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Barcelona outlined several reasons for optimism ahead of next month’s fixture, including the return of Rashford, who was absent from the 4-0 first-leg hammering due to a knee injury. They described the Man United loanee as a “key player,” suggesting his significance to Hansi Flick and potentially revealing hints about what lies ahead.

The Catalan club holds an option to purchase Rashford permanently for £26million at the season’s conclusion. This outcome appears increasingly probable, with the player himself having acknowledged his desire to complete the move from United.

The full statement read: “If all goes well, three key players should be available for the second leg on March 3: Pedri, Raphinha and Rashford. The Englishman looks the most certain, having missed the first leg purely as a precaution.”

Benjamin Sesko admission

The Slovenian striker is yet to make a Premier League start under Carrick, though that hasn’t prevented him from delivering a notable contribution. He’s appeared as a substitute in four of the five league matches the former United midfielder has overseen and netted two crucial goals.

Sesko followed up his late winner against Fulham with an even later equaliser away at West Ham earlier this week. The forward featured on the latest episode of Manchester United’s official podcast, where he spoke highly of his manager when asked about his brief tenure under him.

Speaking on Inside Carrington, the 22-year-old stated: “First of all, he’s an amazing person. That’s already meaning really a lot, but as well, a really good coach. And not just him, the whole staff that he has with him, they’re working unbelievably.”

Discussing Carrick’s coaching team, he added: “They’re giving all the details that you need to improve, to get better, to know what to do in the game, because it’s important. And they’re always good with communications [sic], as he and the other staff. So, I’m really happy that he came here and also happy with what we have achieved around it.”

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Michael Carrick has thrived with Manchester United since stepping up as head coach on an interim basis in January, but the Reds could find it tricky to land him permanently come the end of the season

Tottenham Hotspur could challenge Manchester United for Michael Carrick’s signature at the end of the season, it is claimed. The 44-year-old has impressed at Old Trafford since stepping in as a short-term successor to Ruben Amorim last month.

To date, Carrick is unbeaten at the helm of the United first-team, thanks to convincing wins over Manchester City, Arsenal, Fulham and Spurs, as well as a 1-1 draw with West Ham on Tuesday evening. As a result of his flying form, there is speculation that United could opt to offer the head coach a permanent role this summer.

However, they could face competition from Spurs for Carrick’s signature, if recent reports are anything to go by. Thomas Frank was handed his walking papers from the club on Wednesday morning after a disastrous eight-month stint in north London.

After going eight Premier League matches without a win, leaving Tottenham languishing in 16th in the standings and facing a growing chance of relegation, the Spurs board decided on a change of direction.

While there was speculation that the club would appoint a permanent manager to take up tenure ahead of next weekend’s North London Derby, it now appears that the once dominant force are following in the footsteps of United.

Reports suggest that former Juventus boss, Igor Tudor, will arrive in the capital to steer the ship until season’s end on an interim basis, when Spurs will also consider their options going forward.

The Athletic also claim that the 47-year-old may not have the option to take up a permanent role this summer.

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Instead, TEAMtalk report that Spurs could eye up the prospect of securing Carrick’s services this summer, with further suggestions that the club considered taking a gamble with the former Middlesbrough manager ahead of their appointment of Frank.

It comes as a number of experienced names have been linked with taking up a role at United this summer, from Oliver Glasner and Gareth Southgate to the likes of Luis Enrique and Andoni Iraola.

Carrick, meanwhile, has also emerged as a candidate to extend his own stay at Old Trafford, dependent on how he fares over the next 12 matches. However, the Reds have been dealt a couple of hammer blows in terms of managers ruling themselves out of the running as of late.

Thomas Tuchel has decided to stay with the England national team for another two years, while Carlo Ancelotti is set to sign a new four-year deal with Brazil.

Roberto De Zerbi has also found himself linked with Spurs after leaving his post with Marseille the same day Frank was sacked. There’s no doubt that Carrick will not be focused on the outside noise, however, instead dedicating his full attention to securing the best-possible finish for United.

Up next for United is a trip to Hill Dickinson Stadium to take on Everton come Monday, February 23. Currently fourth in the Premier League standings and looking at a real possibility of securing Champions League football for 2026/27, Manchester United will look to hold their position while amping up the pressure on a top three of Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa.

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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

£49

£35

Sky

Get Sky Sports here

Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.

Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games this season, an increase of up to 100 more.

Manchester United are leaning towards making an external managerial appointment despite Michael Carrick’s impressive return to Old Trafford.

United have taken 13 points out of a possible 15 since Carrick was appointed caretaker manager last month, winning four games in a row before Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with West Ham.

Manchester United were sixth in the Premier League when they decided to pull the plug on former boss Ruben Amorim, who had a disappointing 14-month reign.

While that represented a marked improvement on a team that finished 15th last season, United were still struggling for consistency, exiting both domestic cup competitions at the earliest possible stage.

It was not only underwhelming performances that cost Amorim his job but also his public criticism of those above him at Old Trafford in the days leading to his sacking.

Champions League qualification appeared unlikely at the time of Amorim’s departure but Carrick has taken the Red Devils back into the top-four.

Carrick’s tenure as caretaker manager started with impressive wins over title rivals Manchester City and Arsenal, before United beat Fulham and Tottenham.

Manchester United were not at their best against West Ham but Benjamin Sesko’s injury-time equaliser maintained Carrick’s unbeaten record.

Carrick’s return to Old Trafford was initially only expected to be temporary, with United always planning to make a permanent appointment at the end of the season.

But United’s brilliant form under the ex-midfielder has led to calls for Carrick to be named as Amorim’s full-time replacement.

England legend Wayne Rooney, for example, has suggested Carrick will become ‘impossible’ to ignore if United’s current form continues until the end of the season.

But according to Sky Sports, Manchester United are not accelerating their plans to appoint a new manager and still do not view Carrick as the favourite for the job.

The likes of Thomas Tuchel, Carlo Ancelotti, Mauricio Pochettino, Oliver Glasner, Luis Enrique and Roberto De Zerbi have all been linked with United since Amorim’s sacking.

The Manchester Evening News claim England boss Tuchel is emerging as the ‘preferred choice’ of Old Trafford decision-makers.

Tuchel took charge of the Three Lions last year but is only contracted to England until after this summer’s World Cup, meaning he will likely be available come July.

Before becoming England manager, Tuchel had spells at Bayern Munich, PSG, Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea, where he won the Champions League and Club World Cup.

While much could change before the end of the season, overlooking Carrick would be fairly surprising as he already appears to have the backing of the United squad.

Captain Bruno Fernandes has repeatedly praised the former England midfielder since he took over and goalkeeper Senne Lammens followed suit after the West Ham draw.

‘We can be happy with the first five games with him as a coach,’ Amorim’s £18m summer signing said.

Gary Neville reveals Man Utd’s ‘official position’ on manager search

‘I actually spoke to the club, because ultimately the club get asked all the time from journalists and broadcasters, what’s the position of the club.

‘It’s a very difficult situation, you’ve got a massive movement now with what’s happened towards giving Carrick the job, saying that really he should be considered.

‘That’s only going to build the more that he wins and the more that he gets closer to Champions League football. I asked the club what is the official position of the football club in terms of what you’re saying publicly to everybody else.

‘I have to say I thought their answer was pretty good. They said they’ve actually begun the process now, starting to look for another manager, which I thought right.

‘It’s a very difficult situation, you’ve got a massive movement now with what’s happened towards giving Carrick the job, saying that really he should be considered.

‘That’s only going to build the more that he wins and the more that he gets closer to Champions League football. That’s good to hear because you need to plan for everything.

‘They’ve started the process of speaking to and looking at other managers, building all the sorts of data and analysing who should be the next manager of the football club.

‘But what they’ve said is they’re not going to be bounced into – irrespective of wins or draws or losses on the pitch in this next couple of months – making an appointment.

‘They’re going to wait until towards the end of the season.’

Gary Neville speaking on his Sky Sports podcast

‘The West Ham result was a little bit disappointing because we wanted to continue winning and now, being two weeks without a game, we wanted to go in that period with a good feeling.

‘But it’s a little bit less bad because we scored at the end. One of his [Carrick’s] strong suits is communication, being clear about what he wants. We knew what we had to do and executed the plan.

‘Man City and Arsenal were different kinds of games because we didn’t really have to make it ourselves.

‘It was more about being compact, playing from the counter and creating chances, which is one of our strong suits. We know we can do well against those teams.

‘Against Fulham and Tottenham we had to play more of our game. It was not always the prettiest, but the result was there, which is the most important thing, and something we haven’t really done all season.’

Due to being knocked out of the FA Cup by Brighton, Manchester United have almost two weeks off before they return to Premier League action on February 23 against Everton.

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Manchester United have turned a corner under Michael Carrick and Harry Maguire reckons ex-Real Madrid star Casemiro is benefitting from that.

Harry Maguire believes the arrival of Michael Carrick has taken Casemiro’s game to another level at Manchester United.

Casemiro is due to leave United at the end of his contract this summer, but the veteran midfielder is putting in a run of brilliant performances. Casemiro has been one of the standout members of this campaign and, since the arrival of Carrick, his importance to the squad has increased as they strive towards qualifying for the Champions League.

The 33-year-old found the back of the net on Tuesday night against West Ham United, however, his headed effort was ruled out after he strayed offside. Despite that, Casemiro has come in for praise from his teammate as Maguire highlights the immediate impact that Carrick has had.

He said: “I always say, as a footballer, if the structure is good you can perform, and you can look a good player but the structure’s got to be good around you.

“I think with Case as well, I think we’ve seen over the last couple of games when the structure’s good around Case, he’s still a magnificent central midfielder.”

United will be looking to add reinforcements to their midfield ranks in the summer.

That’s amid ongoing links to Carlos Baleba and Elliot Anderson.

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Casemiro, 33, is set to bid farewell after four years at the club following his £70million move from Real Madrid in 2022. Announcing his exit, he revealed that he would carry his time at Old Trafford with him for the rest of his life.

He said: “I will carry Manchester United with me throughout my entire life.

“It is not time to say goodbye; there are many more memories to create during the next four months.

“We still have a lot to fight for together; my complete focus will, as always, remain on giving everything to help our club to succeed.”

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Viral Manchester United fan, Frank Ilett, will have to wait longer to cut his hair as Michael Carrick’s side fell agonisingly short of winning their fifth consecutive match. Man United were held to a 1-1 draw by the inspiring West Ham on Wednesday in the English Premier League as Benjamin Sesko secured a point for the Red Devils.

United had won the first four matches under former player and interim manager Carrick, but as per a
condition set by Ilett in 2024, a victory over West Ham would have seen him finally cut his hair after over 500 days. But United failed to win their fifth consecutive match and Ilett would now have wait longer.

West Ham show Carrick’s United still have layers to unlock

That, however, would not be Man United’s major concern. The biggest worry would be how West Ham and manager Nuno Espírito Santo diffused a team that was high on confidence. United came into the game after beating Man City, Arsenal, Fulham and Tottenham, but the Hammers produced a perfect performance at the London Stadium.

One area where Carrick erred was that his approach was very similar to that last four games. He didn’t change much despite West Ham sitting deep, and then got lucky on the counterattack as Tomas Soucek put them in front in the 50th minute.

It took till 69th minute for Carrick to bring on Benjamin Sesko in place of Matheus Cunha, finally changing tactics to play some long ball instead of trying to stitch passes and score a goal. The introduction of the 1.95 meters tall striker Sesko from Slovenia finally paid off in the dying minutes of the match as he scored an equaliser in the 96th minute.

Bryan 🤝 Benjamin

A sublime delivery and finish deep into injury time 🎯

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 11, 2026

A very Man United result, but they would have wanted a win.

“I think we were a little disappointed and we were definitely not at our best. I’m a little frustrated at that,” Carrick told TNT Sports. “It is a tough place to come and we didn’t have that sharpness to find the answers. Great spirit again and we will take the point and move on.”

“Credit to the boys for coming back again, it is a great trait to have in the team,” Carrick added. “There are positives to take from it, you can’t win every game, we certainly didn’t want to come away from here without a point.”

United next play against Everton on Monday night.

In other EPL matches, Chelsea blew away a 2-0 lead to play out a 2-2 draw against Leeds at home. Newcastle defeated Spurs 2-1, while Bournemouth won 2-1 against Everton.

Kobbie Mainoo was heavily linked with a January move to Napoli and several Premier League clubs before Michael Carrick’s arrival changed his situation at Manchester United.

Manchester United’s reported consideration of loaning out Kobbie Mainoo for the rest of the season is claimed to have left several Premier League clubs, and Napoli, in disbelief. Mainoo endured a difficult first few months of the season under former head coach Ruben Amorim and was not trusted with a single Premier League start before the Portuguese’s departure in December.

At one stage, Mainoo looked in danger of heading out on loan, before interim head coach Michael Carrick took over. Napoli were keen to secure the 21‑year‑old on a temporary deal for the remainder of the season, while the midfielder also attracted interest from Tottenham, Aston Villa and Everton.

Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund both moved to Napoli – McTominay permanently and Hojlund on loan – and the pair have been rejuvenated since leaving Old Trafford. Napoli boss Antonio Conte was eager to bring in another United player following their success.

According to The Telegraph, there was “genuine disbelief” in Naples that United were even contemplating letting Mainoo go. Similar feelings were reportedly shared by “many Premier League clubs” who were interested in taking the youngster on loan.

During Amorim’s time in charge, the 41‑year‑old often spoke about wanting players to “stay and fight” rather than walk away at the first sign of adversity – criticising what he saw as an “entitlement” culture among some academy players.

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He had also highlighted Casemiro as an example of a player who shifted his mindset and fought his way back into the team, saying: “When I see Casemiro training, if everyone trains like him, if everyone is so focused on the detail, even in training, in set-pieces training, even when they are playing ten versus goalkeeper, and the movements that he made, imagining the game, we will be a top team.

“If everyone works like Casemiro, and when I say work it’s not just running, it’s that focus. You can understand why that guy won five Champions Leagues, because if you pay attention to everything that he does with contract, with no contract, he’s top player.”

This was a message widely interpreted as another pointed reference to Mainoo.

The Mirror also reported that, as a result of Carrick’s arrival, Mainoo was told he would be part of the plans for the remainder of the season.

That came with a clear instruction to focus on re‑establishing himself at his boyhood club, while proving Amorim had been wrong to overlook him.

Under Carrick, Mainoo has started against Manchester City, Arsenal, Fulham and Tottenham.

He is also in contention to start their match at relegation-threatened West Ham on Tuesday evening (8pm).

Manchester United faced a familiar scenario on Saturday but this time with a different manager in the hotseat at Old Trafford.

17:00, 09 Feb 2026

Ruben Amorim’s time as Manchester United manager didn’t produce many highlights but undoubtedly one of the darkest days of his tenure came when Everton visited Old Trafford last November. The Reds fell to a 1-0 defeat against Everton despite playing against ten men for all but 13 minutes of the match.

The negative 3-4-2-1 system was under scrutiny and proved it could not unlock a side that would definitely have taken a point as soon as they were reduced to 10 men.

Unbelievably the Toffees secured all three points and less than two months on Amorim was sacked. Last weekend, United once again found themselves up against 10 men with the game goalless. Where Amorim failed, Michael Carrick succeeded.

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MEN Sport has taken a look back at the Everton defeat and highlighted five ways Carrick’s tactics trumped Amorim’s when tasked with breaking down a side who had seen a man sent off.

Fernandes change

Amorim always justified the decision to play Bruno Fernandes deeper in midfield because he wanted United to have more control in the centre of the pitch.

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However, that tweak saw Kobbie Mainoo drop out and it is clear to see that Mainoo needs to be in the team. Everton’s winner came from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall running off Fernandes before Leny Yoro failed to stop the shot.

Against Spurs, and since the arrival of Carrick, Fernandes has moved into attacking midfield and he has been excellent, as has Mainoo since being brought back in from the cold.

Predictability

Rewatching the Everton game was painful for plenty of reasons, particularly because of how predictable United were. It was difficult for Amorim’s side when playing a team with a goal advantage and the ability to sit on the edge of their area, but the Reds made it way too easy for them.

United would play the ball out to Amad in the hope he could produce a moment of magic, but with Everton doubling up on him he would have to work it back and eventually the attack broke down. It was dull and uninspiring.

In contrast, United switched up their attack against Tottenham, with the first goal a perfect example. Matheus Cunha did well to drift inside and create overloads in the centre, a move that ultimately won the corner from which the first goal came.

A neat training ground routine allowed the ball to be laid off for Bryan Mbeumo to slot home. It seems simple but it is by far a better brand of football to watch.

Tempo

This goes hand-in-hand with the predictable nature of Amorim’s system but the tempo in the defeat to Everton was shockingly low. When Idrissa Gueye was sent off, Old Trafford was rocking and hopeful of seeing their side take advantage.

Instead, United killed that urgency with slow play which made it easy for Everton to defend. The Reds were too casual in possession and this created problems with passes being intercepted and clearances being made.

Now, there is a sharpness to United’s play that is not just evident against ten men. Carrick’s side pass the ball around with a crispness and some of the one-touch football left Spurs scratching their heads at the weekend.

The out-ball

Bafflingly, United were so defensive against Everton you would have thought they were the ones with ten men. A particular example of this was their approach to defending long throws.

The Reds put all 11 men behind the ball, including Joshua Zirkzee. When they eventually cleared the danger, there was nobody upfield to offer a way out and Everton were able to just recycle possession.

Against Tottenham, that was not the case and this allowed United to retain more control. Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez have forged a solid partnership in recent weeks and that gives United the confidence to leave a man upfield without the fear of conceding.

Crossing

When United eventually managed to work an opening against Everton they looked to get crosses into the box. Not a bad strategy except for a couple of key issues.

Firstly, there was no variation on the crosses, with all being looping balls that Michael Keane and James Tarkowski took pleasure in just heading away. On the few occasions they were beaten, Zirkzee forced a couple of good saves from Jordan Pickford.

However, there were also too many occasions when Zirkzee and other forwards were not bursting into the box to try and get on the end of crosses. The combination of the two was a recipe for disaster.

Now, United are showing a variation in their crosses and the second against Spurs came thanks to a brilliant delivery from Diogo Dalot which Benjamin Sesko was trying to reach.

He missed it but following up was Fernandes. The finish was sublime.