How Michael Carrick's arrival has transformed Manchester United's fortunes, rekindled top-four hopes

Manchester United have been on a roll ever since club legend Michael Carrick came on board as manager following Ruben Amorim's departure earlier this month and U-18s coach Darren Fletcher’s uninspiring week as his temporary replacement.

Former England and United midfielder Carrick, who has been appointed until the end of the season for now, began his tenure with two massive fixtures – against Manchester City (home) and Arsenal (away), the top two teams on the Premier League table at present.

And though the Red Devils were faring a lot better this season compared to the last two, having finished eighth and 15th respectively in 2024 and 2025 respectively, losing these two games could could have potentially translated to another slide down the table and a mid-table finish at the end of the season.

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Triumphant start to Carrick’s latest managerial stint with United

Instead, Carrick began his latest managerial stint with United – having previously served on a temporary basis in 2018 and 2021 – on a triumphant note with a 2-0 victory over City in the 'Manchester Derby' at the Old Trafford.

And to highlight that the victory over Pep Guardiola’s side was no fluke, Carrick's men inflicted a 3-2 defeat over league leaders Arsenal on their turf a week later, recovering from a shaky start to win a high-scoring thriller and fire a warning to other teams vying for a top-four finish at the end of the season.

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So what exactly has changed for Man United in the two weeks that have gone by since Carrick was named manager until the end of the current season, beating former teammate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to the role?

Communication and man-management skills are non-negotiables for managers or coaches at any level in any sport, and the 44-year-old appears to have got that part right. The United players, after all, suddenly appear a lot more upbeat on the field  – as was evident in the manner in which veteran midfielder Casemiro celebrated United’s second goal against City.

Players back to their preferred positions? 

Besides Carrick’s influence, the positive body language might also have something to do with the fact that the players are starting to play at their preferred positions – especially star midfielder Bruno Fernandes playing as a No 10 rather than deep in the midfield.

And unlike Amorim, who had rigidly stuck to his philosophy of having three defenders, Carrick has opted for four at the backline in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-1-1 formation – something that is more in tune with United’s core philosophy which the club’s board had also expected of the former.

Last, but not the least, it’s United’s refusal to give up that ensured they came out on top against the Premier League leaders on their own turf – whether they were 0-1 down after getting bossed by the opposition for the first 30 minutes of the contest or were staring at sharing a point at 2-2 with just three minutes left in regular time.

With the right spirit, tactics and attitude in place, Carrick appears to have a United squad ready to return to the Champions League next season.