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Michael Carrick has the chance to make a fine first impression on his short-term stint as Manchester United manager by derailing local rivals Manchester City’s Premier League title challenge on Saturday.
City, meanwhile, have the chance to cut the gap on leaders Arsenal to three points at Old Trafford, while United need the points to boost their chances of Champions League football next season. At the other end of the table, Tottenham’s Thomas Frank and West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo are fighting to save their jobs as the sides clash in a London derby. Carrick faces a baptism of fire with the Premier League’s top two the opponents for his first two matches in charge of United.
“It’s what we live for (big games) – some are more challenging than others but it’s why we are here. So we’ll go for it head-on,” said Carrick.
Before a daunting trip to Arsenal next weekend, the former United and England midfielder has the chance to galvanise a season at risk of coming completely off the rails. An FA Cup exit to Brighton last weekend followed a run of just one win in six league games for United, either side of Ruben Amorim’s dismissal.
The Red Devils, however, remain well in contention for a place in next season’s Champions League, just three points adrift of fourth-placed Liverpool. Carrick was unbeaten in a previous three-game interim spell at United after the departure of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2021.
Since then he gained far more managerial experience at second-tier Middlesbrough, but was sacked in June for failing to achieve promotion to the Premier League.
“I understand the job, what it entails and the responsibility of it,” added Carrick. “Now I feel in a strong place to move forward and, hopefully, be successful here.”
