Manchester United have confirmed the appointment of Michael Carrick as interim manager until the end of the season, with the club aiming to push back into Champions League qualification.
Carrick, 44, returns to the Old Trafford dugout after previously enjoying a brief unbeaten spell as caretaker manager in 2021. A former United midfielder, he won 12 major trophies during a 12-year playing career with the club and later worked as a first-team coach.
This marks Carrick’s return to management after his spell with Middlesbrough, where he took charge in October 2022. Despite guiding the club to the Championship play-offs in his first season, Middlesbrough finished eighth and then 10th in his two full campaigns, leading to his dismissal at the end of last season.
Carrick faces an immediate challenge, with his first match in charge coming against local rivals Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday.
United currently sit seventh in the league table and remain firmly in the race for a Champions League spot. They are three points behind fourth-placed Liverpool and just one point off fifth place, with a top-four finish guaranteeing qualification and a top-five finish also likely to be enough due to strong English performances in Europe.
The club parted ways with Ruben Amorim last week following a disappointing 14-month tenure. Any hopes of a quick turnaround were halted after caretaker Darren Fletcher oversaw a league draw with Burnley and an FA Cup defeat to Brighton.
With early exits from both domestic cup competitions and no European football this season, United are set to play just 40 matches in total, their lowest tally since the 1914–15 campaign.
Carrick’s deep understanding of the club, both as a former player and coach, is believed to have played a key role in the board’s decision, with the hierarchy viewing him as a steady and reliable option for the remainder of the season.
