Gary Neville identifies only two managers he would choose over Carrick at United without hesitation

It’s fair to say that Manchester United’s imperious form under interim manager Michael Carrick has won the 44-year-old plenty of plaudits. Despite this, former United captain Gary Neville still believes two other managers are more suited to the role at Old Trafford on a permanent basis. Since Carrick first took the reins at his old club, the Red Devils have picked up the most points in the Premier League and secured a return to football’s elite European competition, the Champions League. Things are certainly looking brighter for the club than they were under previous coach Ruben Amorim, who struggled to adapt to the demands of one of the biggest jobs in world football. A surprise return to form Many thought a top five finish and return to the Champions League would be impossible when Carrick returned to the club in January. The team were in poor form and results had been well below par, leading to concerns the club might be on course for another nightmare season. Under the calm leadership of Carrick, who played for the club at the same time as stalwart Luke Shaw, United appear to have turned a corner. Results have been nothing short of spectacular, with Carrick managing to beat all of the traditional top six teams in his short time in charge so far. Moreover, many United players have hit top form in this period. Under his stewardship, Bruno Fernandes is on course to break the all-time Premier League assist record and Kobbie Mainoo’s fine form has earned him a lucrative new contract. This uptick in form and improvement in player relations has led to many United players throwing their support behind Carrick, believing he should receive the job on a permanent basis. Is a more experienced manager required? Legendary pundit and former United captain Gary Neville has come around somewhat on his former teammate landing the job on a permanent basis, but he still has some reservations. Speaking on The Overlap Stick To Football Podcast, Neville said: “If Luis Enrique and Carlo Ancelotti become available, I do think Manchester United should go on to appoint a manager who’s won the Champions League, titles in different countries, and have somebody who can handle the scrutiny of the job.” “If they’re going into the Glasner and Iraola stuff and Fabregas, I don’t believe they should appoint those. So Michael [Carrick] should get it if they don’t get a world-class manager.” It seems unlikely that Enrique would leave PSG having just guided them to a second consecutive Champions League final and, with his first World Cup as Brazil manager approaching, Ancelotti is sure to be entirely focused on his role there. All of which seems to suggest Neville would, unless something truly unexpected occurred, be happy for his old teammate to get a longer chance in the manager’s seat. A chance few can argue he does not deserve. The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Mike Walsh Mike Walsh is an experienced freelance journalist who has written about a variety of topics over multiple years. He is very happy to finally be writing about the Red Devils, especially now that his favourite player, Michael Carrick, is in charge of the team.