“Makes a difference”: Awe-struck Rooney makes stunning Carrick claim that’ll leave fans purring with delight

Manchester United’s record goalscorer Wayne Rooney has fired a bombshell claim about Michael Carrick as his dream start to life as caretaker boss continues. Carrick made it two wins in as many games on Sunday as United came from behind to beat league leaders Arsenal at the Emirates. Carrick’s fairytale start Having led United to a dominant 2-0 win over neighbours Manchester City in his first game, Carrick followed that up with another excellent result, a 3-2 victory against Arsenal. Arsenal took the lead in the 29th minute but their advantage was wiped out by Bryan Mbeumo, who punished a mistake at the back by Martin Zubimendi. Patrick Dorgu then put United in the driving seat with a screamer. Mikel Merino equalised for the hosts and it looked like the points would be shared in North London, but Matheus Cunha delivered the decisive blow, expertly curling the ball into the back of the net past a stretching David Raya. The result has catapulted United to fourth place in the Premier League table and firmly in contention for a Champions League finish. United played with the same arrogance, confidence and bravery that was so evident against City just a week ago. In the second half, especially, Mikel Arteta’s men had no answer for a lot that was thrown at them. Speaking on the latest episode of The Wayne Rooney Show, Rooney claimed that Carrick is guiding United back to what made them so successful in the past. Rooney speaks Rooney said, “The change in Manchester United over a two-game period is incredible. Michael and his coaches deserve a lot of praise for that. Just putting an attitude into the players and a focus, and a togetherness into them which, if we’re honest, we didn’t see under Ruben Amorim.” “Manchester United went there believing they could win the game. They didn’t create a whole lot of chances, but you always felt they had a good control of the game.” “Arsenal started well. And then when Manchester United went a goal down, the reaction was great. Manchester United deserved the win.” The former England international continued, “There’s a calmness about the place. I was watching the under-16s on Saturday morning and they were all there again. Michael Carrick was there, Steve Holland, Jason Wilcox, all the coaches were there and so on, which you’ve heard me talking about a lot, that connection with the academy.” “What I saw, not just from Michael, but the other coaches, Johnny Evans as well, is a real calmness and a belief. Michael told me how good the players were and he felt he had to stop the session early because they were that good and he wanted to bottle it up. And that’s proven today. An absolute incredible performance.” “You go back to the United DNA and United as a club and things you want to see. I was there for 13 years, so [there are] things you want to see at that football club which I haven’t seen there for a long time. And I thought it was absolutely brilliant.” “You’ve got all the coaching staff all there watching the under-18s play. And then again, on a Saturday morning, they’re all there watching the under-16s play after the training session. These are all things which used to happen in the past and it makes a big difference. In my eyes they have taken a step towards getting the club back a little bit closer to where they used to be when the club was successful.” Rooney reiterated his pleasure with the work Carrick and his coaching staff are doing, especially considering they’ve outfoxed perhaps the two best teams in the Premier League. United are next in action on Sunday when they host Marco Silva’s Fulham. Featured image Michael Regan via Getty Images 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 Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!