Manchester United has appointed Michael Carrick as their interim manager, following the rejection of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s return by some senior players. Carrick will lead the team until the end of the season, marking his second term in charge. Solskjaer, who was a top contender for the position after Ruben Amorim’s departure, was eliminated from consideration after players expressed their lack of confidence in him.
Solskjaer, a former United star, previously managed the club from 2018 to 2021, achieving a 54% win rate across 168 matches. The 44-year-old Carrick is set to be officially announced as the interim manager within the next day, overseen by chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox. His first training session is scheduled for Wednesday, preparing for a crucial match against Manchester City at Old Trafford this weekend.
Carrick faces a challenging start as United has only won one of their last seven games. Previously, Carrick had a brief stint as interim boss before Ralf Rangnick took over. Despite this, Carrick led Middlesbrough to the Championship play-offs in the 2022-23 season, narrowly missing out on a top-six finish in subsequent campaigns.
As a former England midfielder, Carrick made 464 appearances for United, winning 18 major trophies, including the Champions League in 2008. He transitioned to coaching under Jose Mourinho and continued throughout Solskjaer’s tenure. Darren Fletcher temporarily led United in recent matches following Amorim’s departure, with mixed results.
Sky has reduced the cost of its Essential TV and Sky Sports package for the upcoming 2025/26 season, offering significant savings and a wide range of live matches across various leagues. The service will showcase over 215 live Premier League games next season, a notable increase from previous offerings.