Since Sir Alex Ferguson's time, Manchester United has rarely had truly optimistic periods. However, in a short moment at the beginning of 2019, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer once made fans believe he was back.
Solskjaer opened with 8 consecutive victories when he replaced Jose Mourinho in the interim role, including an impressive 3-1 victory over Arsenal in the 4th round of the FA Cup. This captain brought Man United United back to the fiery counter-attacking football that was associated with the glorious 26th century under Ferguson.
After that, Solskjaer was officially appointed and led the team for nearly 3 years, reaching the Premier League runner-up position in the 2020-2021 season and reaching the Europa League final. However, this beloved former striker finally lost control, leaving Old Trafford without having time to add any titles.
Therefore, public opinion believes that Man United must avoid repeating the mistake with Michael Carrick, who was just given a temporary assignment after Ruben Amorim was sacked earlier this month.
Even if Man United wins all matches from now until the end of the season, I will still not give him this job. I think they need a better, more experienced coach, that's simple" - Roy Keane shared.
Gary Neville also agreed when saying that the reasonable option is to let Carrick lead until the end of the season and then transfer to a big name like Thomas Tuchel or Carlo Ancelotti. However, not every Man United legend shares that view.
Keane and Neville tried to cool down expectations after witnessing Carrick's Man United beat Arsenal 3-2 right at the Emirates, just a week after the resounding victory over Man City in the derby. On the contrary, Wayne Rooney could not hide his excitement.
Of course, he could be suitable if he continues like this. He has the opportunity to prove to everyone and to the club that he can do it. If Carrick maintains this form, there will be great pressure on the Man United board of directors to hand over that chair at the end of the season. I know they have experienced this with Ole, but this time the feeling is a bit different" - the former Man United striker said.
Rooney's assessment is not unfounded. The "Red Devils" have just successively overcome two opponents considered the strongest in the league after Carrick "tied off" the team, and now fate is in his hands. The board of directors will certainly fall into a difficult situation if Carrick continues to bring the team to compete for titles in the final sprint. This scenario sounds crazy, but can completely happen in a season that is already too unpredictable.
Carrick has opened up a real opportunity to be kept for a long time, but to make that certain, he needs to win the Premier League title. Man United is still 12 points behind leading team Arsenal, but Mikel Arteta's team has only earned 2 points in the last 3 matches. The pressure that once made them collapse in previous championship races seems to be returning.
Arsenal lacks the bravery of a champion. They depend too much on set pieces, and the attack faces difficulties in opening plays. Behind, Man City - the second-placed team - also faces a similar problem when the injury crisis erodes attacking power. Meanwhile, not many people believe that Aston Villa of Unai Emery, who are playing beyond expectations, can stand firm in third place until the end of the season.
All 3 teams mentioned above have to strain themselves on many fronts, and that is a significant advantage for Man United. Carrick only has 15 matches left to prepare, and in theory, his team will be more energetic than most competitors.
In addition to the 2 home matches against Aston Villa and Liverpool, and the away match to Chelsea, Man United's schedule is generally quite favorable. If they continue to defeat Fulham at Old Trafford, the "Red Devils" can completely emerge as a real candidate. On the contrary, Arsenal must play away against Leeds who are in high form, while Man City travels to Tottenham.
Perhaps, somewhere in his mind, Carrick is looking for inspiration from the 1996 Man United squad. They were once left 12 points behind Newcastle after 23 rounds but still created a miraculous comeback to win the championship. At this time, a Champions League spot should only be a minimum goal when Man United has returned to the top 4. They have enough quality to dream of titles.
Although Arsenal is still rated slightly higher thanks to the depth of the squad, Man United is increasingly "in charge". If they maintain their current form and know how to adapt when facing weaker opponents but defend deeply, any scenario can happen. Carrick is in charge, and so far, all signs show that the "Red Devils" are going in the right direction.
