Carrick bolsters case for promotion to full-time manager with Man United win

Overall view of Manchester United's Old Trafford. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Michael Carrick bolsters case for promotion to full-time manager with Manchester United's win over Liverpool

By Clark Dalton | Last updated May 3, 2026 2:29 PM ET

The best managers in the world deliver in the big games. And with Michael Carrick continuing to do so, Manchester United should consider promoting him from interim to full-time.

Manchester United (18-10-7, 64 points) beat Liverpool FC (17-7-11, 58 points) 3-2 in its English Premier League match at Old Trafford in Manchester on Sunday. Red Devils midfielder Kobbie Mainoo scored the match-winning goal in the 77th minute.

With the win over Liverpool, Carrick is now 5-0 against the "Big Six" of the Premier League. The group consists of Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Manchester United. These clubs are considered the cream of the crop in English soccer because of their traditions, big budgets and star power.

Now, Carrick has only been with the club for 14 matches, so promoting him could be rash. He has Manchester United thriving against its biggest rivals, however, so why wouldn't he be in consideration for the full-time gig?

KOBBIE MAINOO SENDS OLD TRAFFORD INTO FRENZY WITH THE MATCH-WINNING STRIKE. ️ pic.twitter.com/yGRb80MU4z
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) May 3, 2026

Why Michael Carrick is deserving of promotion

Carrick replaced Ruben Amorim, whom Manchester United fired, in January. Since assuming the role, he has reinvigorated the club, posting a 10-2-2 record, helping the team secure a spot in the UEFA Champions League.

Manchester United’s record against the 'Big six' under Michael Carrick:

2-0 win vs. Man City ✅
3-2 win vs Arsenal ✅
2-0 win vs Tottenham ✅
1-0 win vs. Chelsea ✅
3-2 win vs. Liverpool ✅

5 games and 5 wins. It's a perfect record in the big games for Carrick. pic.twitter.com/35MCNHoAyT
— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Footballtweet) May 3, 2026

This surge has propelled the team back near the top of the Premier League table. It's now third behind Manchester City (21-7-5, 70 points) and Arsenal (23-7-5, 76 points). If it can stay in that spot for its remaining three matches, it would be the first time the team finished third or better in the Premier League since the 2022-23 season. Last season, the club ranked 15th in the Premier League.

Before the match on Sunday, Liverpool manager Arne Slot said the league is now seeing "how good Manchester United really are," thanks to Carrick's takeover.

"Last season, their players were better than their league position suggested," Slot said this past Friday, via Jack Flintham of the team website.

"After another transfer window, we can see how good they really are," Slot continued. "It might be a bit of an advantage playing once a week, but as I said before, when analyzing them, I saw how good they are — and it's the same now. They're more consistent in the results."

Carrick is reportedly the favorite to become Manchester United's next manager, but the team is eyeing outgoing Bournemouth AFC manager Andoni Iraola as an alternative. That said, the Red Devils shouldn't spend much time in their managerial search when it looks like they already have the right man for the job.

Clark Dalton

Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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