Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville has spotted something which could signify where the club are headed in their pursuit of a new permanent manager
Gary Neville has offered insight into Manchester United’s plans(Image: James Gill – Danehouse, Getty Images)
Manchester United are yet to officially confirm who they plan to install as their next permanent manager. However, former captain Gary Neville thinks he has spotted indicators the club are preparing Michael Carrick to remain part of the picture at Old Trafford next season.
Carrick has done a commendable job since stepping in after Ruben Amorim was sacked in January. A haul of 23 points from 11 fixtures leaves United third in the table and gives them a solid chance of returning to the Champions League, though they will need to bounce back after losing at home to Leeds United on Monday.
Speaking prior to that fixture, Neville and his former Old Trafford colleague Roy Keane discussed Carrick’s future. Both men anticipated the interim boss would land the job on a permanent basis and Neville backed that up with a revealing observation.
“It was interesting in his press conference. He was asked about whether he was part of recruitment meetings and planning for next season and Michael said yes he was,” said Neville, who suggested the stability offered by the interim boss could help him land the job permanently.
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“What Michael’s doing right now, not just winning football matches which is critical, he’s settling the club down off the pitch as well which will be important,” he added. “If you’re an owner and the rest of the club trust the manager, like the manager and feel he has a good way about him, that will count as they move towards the end of the season.”
Carrick’s involvement in forward-planning could well be telling. Were United to appoint a new manager currently in post elsewhere, there would be considerably less time to finalise plans regarding recruitment, tactics and beyond.
It is also worth bearing in mind that several international managers who might have been in contention following the World Cup have since penned extensions with their respective national sides. Carlo Ancelotti has agreed fresh terms with Brazil, while Thomas Tuchel’s England contract has been extended until 2028.
With six league fixtures remaining, Carrick and United enjoy a seven-point cushion above sixth-place Chelsea. The top five Premier League finishers will secure their place in next season’s Champions League but the job is far from done.
United face Chelsea next week in a fixture that could prove decisive for both clubs’ European aspirations. Both sides head into the match on the back of defeats, with the Blues falling to Manchester City on Sunday and Carrick’s men coming unstuck against Leeds.
A brace from Noah Okafor in the first half put the visitors firmly in control at Old Trafford on Monday, before Lisandro Martinez was shown a red card for a hair pull. Casemiro pulled one back for United but they couldn’t grab a crucial second goal.
“I have to say, whatever happened tonight, it’s not going to suddenly change my opinion on what we are as a team,” Carrick said following Monday’s defeat. “We’ve built enough of a foundation to kind of understand what we’re good at and what we need to improve on.
“Moving forward at the end of the season, the games are going to be the games and it’s a big end of the season. There’s no getting away from it. The kind of mentality and the character of the boys wanting to do well and trying to give everything, I’ve never doubted that, and I won’t doubt that.”
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