Michael Carrick has urged Manchester United not to make a hasty decision on a permanent head coach despite his bright start as interim boss. Carrick, who moved into the role until the end of the season after Ruben Amorim’s 14-month spell ended in early January, has won his first three games in charge — against Manchester City, Arsenal and Fulham — lifting United into fourth place in the Premier League.
Nominated for January’s Premier League Manager of the Month, the 44-year-old former United midfielder and captain said the recent run of results should not dictate long-term appointments. He stressed that the short-term positive form does not alter his approach or sense of responsibility and that he is focused on improving the squad whether he remains in charge or another manager is brought in.
Carrick said the club should avoid overreacting to a brief sequence of outcomes, good or bad, and keep progress measured. He warned that football can change quickly and that decisions should not be made on a knee-jerk basis just because of a short run of form.
Looking ahead, United host Tottenham at Old Trafford on Saturday and then travel to Carrick’s former club West Ham on Tuesday. Carrick said he is enjoying the role and feels at home at the club, but underlined his awareness of the temporary nature of the appointment and cautioned against getting carried away.
United appointed Carrick for the rest of the campaign after also speaking to former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The club’s choice of an internal candidate is intended to provide continuity while director of football Jason Wilcox leads a thorough recruitment process to find a long-term head coach.
Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson suggested Carrick still needs to be tested under pressure to prove himself. Merson argued that the real examination for anyone in charge of a top club comes when a winning run ends and scrutiny intensifies, and that how a manager responds to a downturn is often what defines them.
For now, Carrick’s message is for patience and steady progress: keep improving the team, resist knee-jerk reactions, and let the club’s recruitment process run its course before settling on a permanent manager.