Manchester United has not been able to defeat all opponents in the "Big Six" group for the past 3 years, but interim coach Michael Carrick is facing the opportunity to complete it if he wins against Liverpool this weekend. If this goal is achieved, and also finishes in the top 3 of the Premier League, it will be very difficult to deny the persuasiveness in his profile for the official position next season.
Right in his debut at Old Trafford this season, Carrick made a strong impression when leading the team to defeat Manchester City. After that, Man United continued to make a mark when they became the first team in Europe this season to win at Arsenal's home ground. The streak of positive form was extended with a victory against Tottenham Hotspur, thereby helping them have 4 consecutive wins.
However, the initial excitement was somewhat dampened after draws with West Ham United and Bournemouth, and disappointing defeats to Newcastle United and Leeds United.
Carrick's project quickly regained its course with the first victory against Chelsea in 6 years, before defeating Brentford to get closer to the top 5 goal and a ticket back to the UEFA Champions League.
Although Liverpool - under the guidance of coach Arne Slot - had an unstable season with 10 defeats, they are still the defending champion and Man United's biggest rival. That is what makes this weekend's confrontation especially meaningful for Carrick.
It is likely that this interim strategist will be extended his contract regardless of the result. However, a victory against Liverpool will certainly be the strongest confirmation for him to officially be given the right to lead the team for a long time.
The results clearly reflected Carrick's impact at Man United. Under the English strategist, this team won 8 matches, drew 2 matches and lost only 2 out of 12 matches, earning 26 points. If calculated from the time he took over in mid-January, this achievement is enough to put Man United at the top of the Premier League.
For comparison, his predecessor Ruben Amorim only scored 31 points after 20 matches in the domestic league before being sacked. Under Carrick, the "Red Devils" scored 24 goals and conceded 14 goals (goal difference +10), while Amorim's period was 34 goals scored, 30 goals conceded (goal difference +4). Notably, last season, the team finished in 15th place with a goal difference of -10 when they were still led by the Portuguese captain.
Not only improving in terms of achievements, the atmosphere in the dressing room also shows signs of being more positive. The players show cohesion and understand the direction Carrick is building, in contrast to the unstable period before.
He knows how to communicate with us" - Bryan Mbeumo shared. Meanwhile, Amad Diallo added: "He has contributed a lot to the team, has experience, understands the club and carries the identity of Manchester United. We believe he is the right person and very satisfied with what he is doing".
A noteworthy point under Carrick - in contrast to how Amorim once described the team as "the worst in club history" - is that he is not satisfied with the current progress. Although it is entirely possible to cite the clear improvement of Man United, Carrick still maintains very high standards.
Even after almost certainly winning a ticket to the UEFA Champions League thanks to a victory over Brentford, he affirmed that it is not yet the destination.
Champions League is one thing, but we shouldn't celebrate too much. We want to compete for a higher position and win more points. If the transfer is right and maintains positivity from now until the end of the season, I believe there is no limit to what the team can achieve" - Carrick said.
Man United's great advantage when placing their trust in Carrick lies in his humility and reality. Carrick understands that he is not in the top coach group, and therefore is likely to accept a short-term contract, with not too high remuneration. This is consistent with the cost control orientation that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is pursuing at the club.
Besides financial factors, Carrick also possesses an emotional advantage with fans. As a former pillar in the glorious success period of the team, he received natural support from the audience. This partly helps ease doubts about the current operating apparatus - similar to the role that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer previously held.
The English strategist also emphasized the ambition to bring the Old Trafford team back to a title-contending position - which was once the standard when he played.
