Man Utd confirm Michael Carrick as interim manager until end of season

By SABC Sport
14th January 2026

Manchester United have appointed Michael Carrick as interim manager until the end of the season following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim last week.

Amorim's 14-month tenure at Old Trafford was widely regarded as dismal, prompting the club to act as they seek to salvage their campaign.

Carrick, a former United midfielder, returns to the dugout having previously enjoyed an unbeaten three-match spell as caretaker manager in 2021.

That brief stint earned praise for its calm management and results, and the club will hope he can provide similar stability during the closing months of the season.

"Having the responsibility to lead Manchester United is an honour," said Carrick.

"I know what it takes to succeed here; my focus is now on helping the players to reach the standards that we expect at this incredible club, which we know that this group is more than capable of producing.

"There is still a lot to fight for this season, we are ready to pull everyone together and give the fans the performances that their loyal support deserves."

Since leaving United's coaching staff, Carrick took on his first permanent managerial role at Middlesbrough in October 2022. The Teesside club compete in the Championship and finished 10th in Carrick's final season. However, he was sacked in June last year after failing to mount a serious promotion challenge.

Carrick faces a daunting first assignment, with his opening match as interim manager coming against local rivals Manchester City in the Premier League this weekend.

United currently sit seventh in the table and are aiming to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in three seasons. They are three points adrift of fourth-placed Liverpool and just one point behind fifth-placed Brentford.