Michael Carrick Named United Interim Head Coach

• Manchester United have appointed Michael Carrick as head coach until the end of the season.
• Carrick will take training on Wednesday, ahead of Saturday’s Manchester derby at Old Trafford.
• Darren Fletcher returns to the under 18s, with Steve Holland joining Carrick’s staff.

Manchester United have appointed former midfielder Michael Carrick as their head coach until the end of the season, the club confirmed on Tuesday, turning to a familiar figure after Ruben Amorim’s departure last week.

Carrick, 44, is due to take training for the first time on Wednesday, with his first match in charge set to be Saturday’s Manchester derby at Old Trafford.

United said Carrick will be assisted by Steve Holland, along with Jonathan Woodgate, Travis Binnion and Jonny Evans. Darren Fletcher, who had been in temporary charge for the past two games, will return to leading the club’s under 18s.

Carrick takes over after what the club described as a process that included an in person meeting with chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox last Thursday, followed by further talks on Monday. He succeeds Amorim, who was sacked after 14 months as head coach, with United expected to appoint a permanent head coach in the summer.

“Having the responsibility to lead Manchester United is an honor,” Carrick said in a news release.

“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.”

Carrick has held the job before. In November 2021, after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was dismissed, he oversaw three matches as caretaker, beating Villarreal and Arsenal and drawing with Chelsea. During that spell, he made a major call by leaving Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench at Stamford Bridge.

“I have worked with a number of the players already and have obviously continued to watch the team closely in recent years, I have total belief in their talents, dedication and ability to be successful here,” Carrick added.

“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.”

Carrick stepped away from the coaching staff when Ralf Rangnick was appointed interim boss later in 2021, then moved into management with Middlesbrough in October 2022. He guided Boro to the playoffs in 2023 and the Carabao Cup semi finals in 2024, before being sacked in June 2025 after a 10th place finish in the Championship.

United said Carrick beat Solskjaer and Ruud van Nistelrooy to the interim role. ESPN sources say the club leaned towards Carrick in part because of his reputation as a hands on coach, a view echoed by Wilcox.

“Michael is an excellent coach and knows exactly what it takes to win at Manchester United,” Wilcox said.

“He is ready to lead our talented and determined group of players for the remainder of the season as we continue to build the club towards regular and sustained success.”

Carrick returns to the dugout with United seventh in the table and three points off the top four. After the derby, the schedule includes a trip to Premier League leaders Arsenal on January 25.

WRITTEN BY

Jarrod

Jarrod Partridge is the Founder of Futbol Chronicle and an accredited journalist with over 30 years of experience following international football. A member of the AIPS International Sports Press Association, Jarrod has covered matches at stadiums around the world, bringing first-hand insight to every match report, player profile, and tactical analysis he writes.

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