Debate is raging over whether Michael Carrick could or should be given the chance to manage Manchester United next season after a stunning start to his spell as interim boss.
The 44-year-old has been asked to lead the club until the end of the current campaign, stepping into the role after Ruben Amorim was dismissed earlier this month.
The role is short-term, but clearly Carrick has the opportunity to show that he can be a successful Manchester United manager in the long-term and he has done that brilliantly so far.
His reign began with a 2-0 win over Manchester City and continued on Sunday with a 3-2 victory at Arsenal, with United climbing to fourth in the Premier League table.
The former England midfielder appears to have rapidly transformed theteam’s style of play and it has brought instant results.
Rooney feels that if Carrick can keep up this level of performance and continue to win games over the rest of the season, there is no reason why he shouldn’t be given the job on a permanent basis.
Asked on Match of the Day 2 if Carrick can prove he is the right man for the job, Rooney said: ‘Of course he can.
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‘Michael Carrick has got an opportunity to show everyone, to show Manchester United that he’s capable of doing the job and what we’ve seen over the last two weeks…of course he has to have a consistency about his results and performances, but what we’ve seen is that he’s very capable of doing it.
‘If it carries on like this there’ll be massive pressure on the Manchester Untied board to put him in at the end of the season.
‘I know they’ve been there with Ole before, but I think this feels a little bit different.’
Rooney referenced Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s appointment as caretaker manager in December 2018, which led to the permanent job after a brilliant start to life in charge of the Red Devils.
It was ultimately an unsuccessful move as Solskjaer took charge of 168 Manchester United games and left in November 2021 without any silverware on his CV.
Roy Keane does not want his former club to follow a similar path and wants a manager with proven success on his record to come in at the end of the season.
‘I think if United win every game from now until the end of the season, I still wouldn’t be giving him the job,’ Keane told Sky Sports of Carrick.
‘I just think they need a bigger, more experienced manager. Simple as that.
‘Carrick could win every game. The timing coming into the job was fantastic for him and he’s said it there, he’s enjoying it.
‘You enjoy management when you’re winning football matches, of course, but I think the size of the club and the challenges they face over the next few years… you want a manager you feel will come in and get Manchester United winning league titles.
‘Are we all going to sit here and think Michael Carrick will get Manchester United winning league titles? If you think on the back of two wins that he warrants the job then that’s your opinion and I’m entitled to mine.
‘I don’t believe he’s the man to get Manchester United back winning league titles.’
Gary Neville agrees, and despite loving what he has seen from Carrick’s team so far, he would still rather see the likes of Thomas Tuchel or Carlo Ancelotti in charge next season.
‘A few weeks ago before the first game I think everybody in football thought that a really successful thing is for Michael Carrick to hold the baton for the rest of the season,’ Neville said. ‘Do a really good job, put some happiness back into the players, the fans, the team, get the performances levels [up] and try to get them into Europe.
‘If he does that, hand the baton over, that’s what everyone was thinking three or four weeks ago.
‘Manchester United have acted emotionally a number of times over the last 10-12 years. I could not be happier about the last two weeks, the familiarity of what I’m watching feels like I’m watching my team play again,
properly. With intensity, energy and quality.
‘I think it’s right that Michael Carrick keeps the job till he end of the season and hands the baton over to a Thomas Tuchel or a Carlo Ancelotti, someone of world class ilk. That’s what his job is now.’
Metro at the Match: Arsenal 2-3 Manchester United
Metro’s Tom Olver breaks down the winners and losers from Arsenal’s 3-2 defeat to Manchester United at the Emirates.
Gabriel Jesus stutters in centre-forward audition
Given the nod over Viktor Gyokeres after an impressive brace against Inter Milan in midweek, Gabriel Jesus will no doubt have been itching to nail down his spot as Mikel Arteta’s first-choice centre-forward.
But with the Gunners utterly dominant in the early exchanges, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard combined to provide the main threat from out wide – with the Brazilian a largely peripheral figure through the middle, in stark contrast with Bryan Mbeumo at the other end of the pitch.
It was more of the same from Jesus as the second half wore on and Mikel Arteta had seen enough by the 58th minute, with his side stumbling in search of an equaliser after a spirited fightback from the visitors.
A huge opportunity missed for the former Manchester City attacker as United threw a cat amongst the pigeons in this year’s title race. It leaves Arteta with a tough call to make up front ahead of Arsenal’s return to top-flight action at Leeds next weekend.
A rare moment to forget for Martin Zubimendi
Martin Zubimendi helped gift United a route back into the game with a horrible lapse in concentration at a crucial stage in the contest before half-time.
Arsenal’s usually metronomic summer signing has hardly put a foot wrong since joining from Real Sociedad and the Spaniard could scarcely believe what he had done as Mbeumo latched onto his misplaced pass before calmly rounding David Raya and stroking the ball home.
An unwanted collector’s item for Zubimendi and a moment he will not want to repeat any time soon.
Even ignoring his blunder, there was a distinct lack of creativity and urgency from Zubimendi when the hosts badly needed someone to stand up and take the game by the scruff of the neck.
Arsenal match ratings: Raya 7, Timber 7, Saliba 5, Gabriel 5, Hincapie 6, Zubimendi 4, Rice 7, Odegaard 6, Saka 6, Trossard 6, Jesus 4. Subs: White 4, Merino 7, Eze 5, Madueke 5, Gyokeres 4.
A mixed day for Martinez
Martinez has endured surely his toughest period yet as a United player and things went bad to worse for the diminutive centre-back on the half-hour mark at the Emirates.
After being on the end of some scathing criticism from Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt, the Argentine will have been desperate to build on his encouraging display against Manchester City.
But another of United’s Class of ’92 was left less than impressed as Martinez – put under pressure from Jurrien Timber – directed the ball into his own net to open the scoring for Arsenal. ‘He should deal with it,’ said Gary Neville on Sky Sports.
Martinez did, though, show great resilience to keep his chin up to help keep the likes of Saka, Trossard and Jesus quiet alongside a near-faultless Harry Maguire at the heart of Michael Carrick’s defence.
Bryan Mbeumo the big-game competitor
Bryan Mbeumo further showed himself to be perhaps United’s most shrewd piece of summer transfer business with just the latest in a long line of eye-catching performances for the club.
He more than deserved his first-half goal, helping force a rare misplaced pass from Zubimendi with some relentless pressing through the middle. The subsequent finish had all the coolness and confidence of a player well and truly at the peak of his powers.
It’s no coincidence that United’s resurgence under Michael Carrick has coincided with Mbeumo’s welcome return from the Africa Cup of Nations.
The £71million spent on Mbeumo will prove to be a steal if the Cameroon international continues in the same vein over the coming weeks and months, adding to his already impressive scoring tally.
Carrick won’t mind Mbeumo’s animated reaction to being substituted for Matheus Cunha in the 68th minute. It’s exactly that kind of character and personality that the club have badly lacked for so long in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.
Patrick Dorgu comes of age
Michael Carrick was full of praise for Patrick Dorgu’s ‘immense’ performance after a dream derby day for United – and the Dane picked up where he left off this weekend.
It’s fair to say Dorgu has had an up-down start to his United career since becoming the first signing of Ruben Amorim’s turbulent reign. But his talent has always been undoubted – the difference is he’s is now beginning to showcase that ability on a far more consistent basis.
His 50th-minute wonder strike – which Neville branded ‘the goal of a lifetime’ – was the standout moment of quality… that’s until Cunha provided some serious competition with his stunning effort to win it in the closing stages.
Such a shame that a suspected hamstring injury cut short Dorgu’s showing with ten minutes remaining in the capital. Carrick will be praying it’s not as bad as it first appeared so the youngster is able to make a speedy return to the fold.
Man Utd player ratings: Lammens 7, Dalot 6, Maguire 8, Martinez 6, Shaw 6, Casemiro 6, Mainoo 6, Amad 5, Fernandes 7, Dorgu 8, Mbeumo 8. Subs: Cunha 8, Sesko 5, Mazraoui 5.
Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira was in the Sky Sports studio alongside Keane and Neville and backed Carrick to be given the opportunity as even the greatest managers were inexperienced at one point.
‘I think he deserves to have a chance to manage United,’ said the Frenchman.
‘I don’t think being young or inexperienced should be enough. Pep Guardiola was at Barcelona. They deserve a chance and then time will say if he is good enough for United or not.’
