He’s right there: Perfect Carrick replacement was at Old Trafford last night, INEOS must move fast to appoint him – opinion

Manchester United started the season with a 2-0 defeat at the hands of newly promoted Hull City, who outclassed Michael Carrick’s side in nearly every aspect. Carrick insisted it was too early to read too much into the result and performance of his players.

On Wednesday night, United faced Brighton & Hove Albion and squandered a two-goal lead, exiting the Carabao Cup at the first hurdle. This was the Red Devils’ third defeat from six matches and highlighted issues that can no longer be brushed aside as one-offs.

United were 2-0 up inside 10 minutes at Old Trafford but, as the game progressed, the players’ intensity and urgency dropped. This was not the reaction one would expect following a derby defeat.

Brighton had their tails up as Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro looked panicked. The Seagulls pressed aggressively, winning possession several times near United’s goal. Carrick’s players could do little to bypass Brighton’s press, and the manager appeared devoid of ideas to improve things.

In stark contrast, Fabian Hurzeler’s side were comfortable with the ball at their feet and at times made a mockery of United’s disjointed and lifeless press. In the 70th minute, Brighton took the ball from their own third into the back of the net for Maxim De Cuyper’s winner with just four passes.

Time for a change

Much has been written about INEOS’s failure to strengthen United’s backline and add more attacking firepower in the summer, and the likes of Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox should certainly be scrutinised for throwing another manager into the ring with one hand tied behind his back.

However, United’s problems run deeper than the shambolic recruitment strategy, and at this stage of the season, a managerial change is the only major move the hierarchy could make to prevent another season from going to waste.

As was the issue before Michael Carrick was handed the permanent role, there are not many elite managers available whom United could realistically pursue, and at this stage of the season, they are not going to be able to convince a high-profile tactician to jump ship.

Kieran McKenna is right there

Interestingly, according to BBC journalist Simon Stone, Kieran McKenna was in the directors’ box at Old Trafford last night.

That outing would have allowed McKenna to get a first-hand look at United’s problems. However, what really puts him in a strong position to judge the side is his previous stint as an assistant manager at Carrington. 

Given the Northern Irishman worked alongside Carrick under Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, he must be well aware of the Englishman’s tactical ideas and training methods, as well as the gaps in them.

Following Solskjaer’s departure, both McKenna and Carrick left United and went their separate ways, and it was the former who enjoyed more success as a head coach.

The 40-year-old took over the role at Ipswich Town when they were in League One. Under McKenna’s tutelage, Ipswich became a top-flight club after winning consecutive promotions.

Relegation followed in the 2024/25 season, but McKenna remained at the club and led them back to the Premier League before deciding to part ways to spend more time with his family.

During his four-and-a-half-year reign, McKenna turned Ipswich into one of the most well-drilled teams in England on a shoestring budget.

In the Championship, Ipswich consistently controlled possession and pressed aggressively. The quality of the opposition improved in the Premier League and brought more challenges, but McKenna’s progressive ideas were still visible, albeit without many positive results.

Results in the Premier League did not stop Bayern Munich from placing their trust in Vincent Kompany, and similarly, McKenna also attracted interest from the likes of United and Chelsea during his time at Ipswich.

Regardless, McKenna stayed at Ipswich and secured another promotion before stepping down from his role. Now might be the perfect time for McKenna to swap the directors’ box for the hot seat in the dugout, on a permanent or an interim basis.

Featured image by Steve Bardens via Getty Images