Why Michael Carrick must be ‘more successful than any other interim’ to land Manchester United job on permanent basis

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Steve McManaman has backed Michael Carrick to become Manchester United's next permanent head coach but cautioned that the former midfielder must continue to excel as caretaker. Carrick will look to win a fourth straight game since replacing Ruben Amorim when United face Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on Saturday lunchtime, live on TNT Sports and discovery+

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Steve McManaman has backed Michael Carrick for the permanent Manchester United job but claimed he must prove himself as the most successful interim head coach ever to secure the role full-time at the end of the season.

Sitting down in The Victory, the first deaf-owned pub in the UK, McManaman said he has been impressed by Carrick's first three games but believes the 44-year-old will have to surpass all expectations if he is to remain there beyond the end of the current campaign.

When asked on TNT Sports' Sign Up - Into Football show if Carrick could become Ruben Amorim's permanent successor, McManaman replied: "I hope so, but a big caveat is that he will have to do really well from now until the end of the season.

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"Yes, he's played three games and won all three but for a manager like Michael who hasn't got the aura of a Carlo Ancelotti, a Thomas Tuchel or Mauricio Pochettino - for example - and the fact that because he is a former Manchester United player, that will be a lot more difficult for him.

"He will have to do exceptionally well between now and the end of the season if he is to get the opportunity to do it [permanently], but I'm thrilled to bits that he's done really well up until now.

"I know Michael, I know Jonathan Woodgate, Steve Holland's with them to provide a bit of experience, so I'd really like him to do well.

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"A lot of the time, we bemoan the fact that there aren't enough English coaches or managers in the Premier League, so now he's got a chance I would love him to do well and I'd love for them to stick by him and give him the job.

"But it's going to be hard. He's going to have to be more successful than any other interim manager because of the nature of Manchester United and the size of the club."

Carrick will look to make it four Premier League wins on the bounce for United when they host Tottenham on Saturday, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

The last time the club achieved that was in February 2024 under Erik ten Hag, while they could also go eight games unbeaten in the competition for the first time since February 2022, when Ralf Rangnick was in charge.

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McManaman: Liverpool lack consistency

United sit fourth in the table, two places and two points better off than McManaman's former club Liverpool, who host Manchester City on Sunday at Anfield.

A fortnight ago, Arne Slot's side slumped to a seventh league defeat of the season late on against Bournemouth, but they have put together back-to-back wins against Qarabag, in the UEFA Champions League, and Newcastle United since then.

A rare full week of training will have allowed Slot the opportunity to work on tactics with his players, who themselves will no doubt have welcomed a period of respite after a hectic January schedule.

McManaman was at Anfield for last Saturday's 4-1 victory over Newcastle and he has called for more of the same.

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"The atmosphere is really good at the moment, but the only thing Liverpool have to deal with is the inconsistencies of their play.

"They beat Qarabag 6-0 on Wednesday, they beat Newcastle 4-1 on Saturday evening, but last week they lost to Bournemouth and it has been like that this year. They've been fine in the Champions League, but in the Premier League, it's a bit hit and miss."

There are encouraging signs, however. Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz are developing an exciting partnership at the top of the pitch, while Ibrahima Konate made a goalscoring return to the side after his recent period away following the death of his father.

The sense of togetherness was on display during Konate's emotional celebrations, and Liverpool will need to express that same unity when they face Manchester City this weekend in the hope of returning to the Champions League places.

"Liverpool need to stop the inconsistency of two good performances followed by one bad one," McManaman continued. "Liverpool need to put together three, four, five good performances, and then they'll be absolutely fine.

"They have the players, they have the quality. They just need to get their few injured players back into the system and then they'll be a lot stronger."

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