Michael Carrick will take charge of Manchester United for a second spell and will be their interim boss until the end of the season – with his Middlesbrough stint offering hints as to his style
07:00, 14 Jan 2026Updated 08:33, 14 Jan 2026
Michael Carrick will take Man Utd through until the end of the season(Image: PA)
Michael Carrick is Manchester United’s new interim manager and will see the team through until the end of the season on an interim basis, just seven months after he was axed at Middlesbrough.
His history at Old Trafford has served him well. The midfielder was part of Premier League and Champions League winning outfits, then served as an assistant under several different managers before having a three-game caretaker spell, where he went unbeaten.
Carrick’s return to the dugout is set to see United return to, what would be deemed, a more conventional style that lends itself to more of the players at Old Trafford. For over a year Ruben Amorim‘s 3-4-3 formation has been a constant talking point.
Its uniqueness and intricacies meant players were having to adapt to new positions, operating in ways they hadn’t before in their careers. That is all set to change under Carrick, who laid out his stall when he was in charge at the Riverside Stadium.
He had a huge initial impact, taking Boro from the depths of the table to the play-offs. Along the way he enhanced the careers of Morgan Rogers, now excelling at Aston Villa, and helped make Chuba Akpom the best player in the Championship, earning him a move to Ajax.
READ MORE: Darren Fletcher turns down first-team Manchester United role under Michael CarrickREAD MORE: ‘I watched Michael Carrick closely at Middlesbrough – this is what Man Utd can expect’
As with any change in the dugout certain players win, others lose out. And with the change in system some individuals will see their roles change, Bruno Fernandes and the full-backs among the most obvious examples.
Formation and attacking mindset
Carrick employs a 4-2-3-1 formation, which should hopefully allow United’s backline to adopt positions they’re far more accustomed to. It means that ultimately two centre halves will miss out with Amorim previously playing with three. Lisandro Martinez, Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire, Ayden Heaven and Matthijs de Ligt are set to be the five battling it out when they’re all fit.
Bruno Fernandes could be set for a return to a more attack-minded position(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
At Middlesbrough Carrick had a particularly effective left-back in Ryan Giles. He was give huge license to get forward, which saw the team adopt a back three in attack with the right-back tucking in.
Whether he tries that is Manchester in unclear. The most attack-minded full-back they have is perhaps Patrick Dorgu, signed by Amorim as a wing-back. If Carrick wants to make best use of his full-backs it could be Dorgu who is given that license, although the likes of Diogo Dalot and Luke Shaw have proved effective going forward.
One of Carrick’s biggest success stories was Akpom, who scored 29 times in all competitions in 2022/23 despite showing little sign he was set to be prolific. He operated as the team’s No 10, often timing his runs effectively.
Chuba Akpom was one of Michael Carrick’s biggest success stories as a manager(Image: PA)
The big winner here could well be Bruno Fernandes. He’s had to adapt to more of a conventional central midfield role under Amorim, which has stunted him going forward. But Carrick’s arrival could see him return as the playmaker. With Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Mason Mount and Amad as wide options, the Portuguese star would have plenty to work with and has shown previously he can score with regularity.
Defensive issues to remain?
One problem Carrick will have to address, which was cited as an issue during his Middlesbrough stint, is that his team were vulnerable defensively. Championship managers commented on how they felt they could hit Boro on the break and achieve success, suggesting they could be got at in transition.
Unfortunately for Carrick, he will not arrive in Manchester and find a ball-winning midfielder capable of breaking up play. Amorim’s desire to add someone in that position was well documented, hence their reported interest in Brighton’s Carlos Baleba in the summer.
Kobbie Mainoo will hope for more game time under Carrick(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Kobbie Mainoo, Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte are all options there, albeit all have their question marks. Having spent hours on the bench under Amorim Mainoo could see his United career reignited and, despite his age, he has the attributes of someone who could be elite in that position eventually.
Carrick has already said on the academy graduate: “To have a talent like that, as he’s already shown, you’ve got to say: ‘Right, he gets it, he knows it – let’s help him, build on him, and stick with him. I think there’s definitely a place for him.”
The former United star will surround himself with an impressive brains trust. Steve Holland, the ex-England assistant, is due to be his No 2. Carrick’s most impressive exploits came immediately after he was hired by Middlesbrough, United will hope for the same.
Man Utd possible line-up: Lammens, Dorgu, Martinez, Maguire, Dalot; Mainoo, Casemiro; Cunha, Fernandes, Mbuemo; Sesko
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