Manchester United are in the same hole again. Do they twist or stick with what they’ve got?
Michael Carrick’s appointment as interim coach saw him hired based on his plans for the remainder of the season. But did anyone imagine it would go this well?
Five wins from six – with a draw at West Ham the only blemish – makes Carrick the most popular man in the red half of Manchester. Their season is back on track and the future suddenly looks bright again.
Man Utd have kept their unbeaten run under Michael Carrick
Manchester United are the most in-form team since Michael Carrick’s appointment
Speaking before the 1-0 win over Everton, Sky Sports‘ Gary Neville said: “If he gets United into the Champions League there will be a lot of fever around that he should be appointed.”
After the match he was talking up third spot as a possibility, with him and Jamie Carragher both believing United are set for Europe’s top competition next season.
So where would that leave Carrick?
The problem is United have been here before with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2019. They gave him the full-time job after a successful caretaker period, but two-and-a-half years later he was out the door.
There was a similar ‘stick or twist’ feeling with Erik ten Hag last season. The Dutchman managed to stay beyond the 2024 summer – but it proved to be just a stay of execution. United will arguably want to avoid another period like those wasted ones.
Neville recognises that too. “I’m not against Michael being appointed, I love him to bits,” he added. “But I think Manchester United should go for the best class of manager available.
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Speaking on Monday Night Football, Gary Neville believes Manchester United need to pursue ‘the best in class’ for their next head coach.
“They’ve had young and inexperienced managers with the last two picks. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has come in before as an ex-player and that didn’t work in the end. So I feel removing as much risk as possible is the right option.”
Who are the best options available?
Right now, United’s form is pretty much perfect under Carrick. But if they are looking for a more experienced option, then there are only a few options out there.
According to Sky Sports data, there are only eight managers with a better fit to the ‘United DNA’. The only one without a job right now is Solskjaer, but United won’t go there again after turning him down in favour of Carrick back in January.
The best fit, according to the numbers, is Antonio Conte – but not only is he with Napoli, that argument has come and gone. The Italian was tipped to come in at United before Ten Hag’s Old Trafford arrival, but Neville argued that it “wouldn’t be the right fit”.
Conte was described by Neville as a “hitman”, someone who would do a job for one or two years then leave under a dark cloud.
Roberto Martinez is the next-best option, stats-wise, and could be available this summer after Portugal’s World Cup bid.
The other options don’t jump out either. Would Stuttgart boss Sebastian Hoeness – fourth in the Bundesliga and firing the Europa League – be another risk like Ruben Amorim? Diego Simeone won’t be brought out of Atletico Madrid, neither will Carlo Ancelotti out of Brazil.
Frank Lampard would be so risky that surely Carrick is a safer bet, Louis van Gaal has retired, while Marcelo Bielsa comes across as another Conte ‘hitman’ option.
The next 20 names on the list are where the realistic candidates lie. Those include Marco Silva, Andoni Iraola and Oliver Glasner – all out of contract in the summer and with experience of the Premier League.
Unai Emery is another interesting option, if he can be persuaded away from his Aston Villa project, while Xavi and Roberto de Zerbi are both currently out of work.
There is also the option of Gareth Southgate, especially with former England assistant coach Steve Holland already on the coaching staff. But, again, it’s a risk – so are any of those options better than Carrick?
The case for Carrick…
There is, of course, no guarantee that Carrick would take the United job full-time if he was offered it. “I wondered whether Michael actually would say no,” said Neville last month.
“He is that type of guy Michael, he’s someone who would always work in the best interest of the football club. He may do that, or he might say: ‘No, I feel comfortable enough and I’ve built such a good relationship with the players, his coaching staff’ to not put his name in the hat.”
But United’s win at Everton rubber-stamped the notion that Carrick and United just fit in terms of DNA. Benjamin Sesko’s winner was a throwback to the type of fast-breaking team seen in Sir Alex Ferguson’s title-winning generations gone by.
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We take a closer look at Benjamin Sesko’s stunning strike against Everton – where does his top speed rank in the Premier League this season?
“Amazing, quick, devastating counter-attacks,” said Neville after the game. “That is what I see when I think of a classic Manchester United goal – and that [one at Everton] is as good as you’ll see.”
There were similar breakaways for Bryan Mbeumo’s goal against Manchester City, Sesko’s winner against Fulham had a counter-attacking vibe.
Sesko has also hit three late goals in the last four games, and ‘Fergie time’ returning only makes Carrick more appealing to those craving the times of old at United.
So do Man Utd want something old, or something new? They’ve got something borrowed in Carrick – but will they renew?