Michael Carrick to lead Manchester United into derby as club faces bleak season

Michael Carrick, appointed until the end of the season, will take charge of Manchester United for the first time as interim head coach as the club — without European football and eliminated from both domestic cups at the first hurdle — prepare to host Manchester City at Old Trafford.

United have struggled for stability in the almost 13 years since Sir Alex Ferguson left, a period marked in the report by managerial churn and a sense of nostalgia, with a stand named in Ferguson’s honour still overlooking the ground. By contrast, Manchester City arrive in the opposite position after Pep Guardiola’s decade in charge and 18 major trophies.

This campaign will include only 40 competitive matches for United, their fewest since 1914–15. Fans and former players have variously described recent seasons as low points; Rick Redman, a season-ticket holder, told the outlet he “wouldn’t say this is the lowest point since Sir Alex retired.” The piece lists a long line of short-term appointments — including Ryan Giggs, Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Darren Fletcher’s recent interim spell — and notes Carrick is the 12th permanent or temporary appointment since Ferguson.

United have won five trophies in that period and endured eight seasons finishing fourth or below, culminating in a 15th-place finish last May.

Key Topics

Sports, Manchester United, Michael Carrick, Manchester City, Old Trafford, Sir Alex Ferguson