Champions League bound 

©TM/IMAGO

Michael Carrick strengthened his case to be appointed as Manchester United’s permanent manager with a hugely significant 1-0 win over Chelsea on Saturday evening. The result moved United ten points clear of sixth placed Chelsea in the league table and all but secured Champions League qualification with just five games remaining. Carrick has transformed United’s fortunes since replacing Rúben Amorim in early January, propelling them from seventh in the English Premier League table to third. Carrick’s tremendous impact can be highlighted by the statistic that United have amassed more points (26) than any other club since his installation.

The poignant question is whether the 44-year-old will be handed the reins on a permanent basis and Carrick admitted post-Chelsea that he’s received no indication of a potential decision. “I understand the situation, it’s a bit out of my hands,” he told TNT. “You want to be a part of nights like this, part of special things, create a team. I haven’t decided how long that’s going to be, but I love being here. While I’m here, I’ll give everything I can”. Naturally, Carrick’s impact has been compared to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s in 2019 when the Norwegian was eventually installed permanently and we’ve compared their two starts in the United dugout.

Michael Carrick and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Man United starts examined

Firstly, we’ve only analysed Carrick’s statistics from this season and excluded his three-game spell at caretaker in 2021. The former England international stepped up from his role as first-team coach after Solskjaer was sacked, but there was never any realistic prospect of him landing the job permanently. As the graphic below illustrates, Solskjaer’s record across his first 12 games in charge is marginally superior to Carrick with the Norwegian collecting 31 points to the Englishman’s 26 – three of Solskjaer’s first 12 games were in cup competitions but points have been used for the benefit of comparison.

Interestingly, Solskjaer’s United team scored more goals across his start, conceded fewer and his points per game record was much better – 2.58 compared to 2.17. Carrick, however, faced a much more difficult fixture list to start and he guided United to impressive wins against Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham in three of his first four games. Despite consecutive losses to Arsenal and Wolves, Solskjaer was handed the reins on a permanent basis after 19 games in charge, while Carrick finished with 17 fixtures under his belt at the end of the season. Carrick has unquestionably made a brilliant case to be managed next season and that’s boosted by a lack of credible, top-level alternatives but United’s hierarchy have a massive decision on their hands after the failed appointment of Amorim.