How would MU perform if Carrick becomes the interim manager?

It is not Ole Solskjaer but Michael Carrick who is currently leading the race for the interim manager position at MU.

The contest for MU's interim manager role has taken an unexpected turn as Michael Carrick has suddenly emerged as the top candidate for the interim manager position at MU until the end of the 2025/26 season.

Carrick was part of Ole Solskjaer’s coaching staff from 2018 to 2021. He also had a stint as interim manager for MU after Solskjaer was dismissed before leaving the club to make way for Ralf Rangnick.

Carrick managed Middlesbrough from 2022 to 2025, with his most notable achievement being leading Middlesbrough from 21st to 4th place in the 2022/23 season. Under Carrick, Middlesbrough consistently competed for playoff promotion spots.

At Middlesbrough, Carrick developed a calculated and modern style of play based on positional flexibility. His team operated a balanced 4-2-3-1 formation without the ball, which quickly transformed into a 3-2-5 when attacking. The build-up relied on one full-back (usually the left) pushing forward to overlap, while the other full-back tucked inside to form a back three with the center-backs.

The striker would drop deep to draw defenders and create space for the attacking midfielder to surge forward. One winger stayed wide to stretch the defense (usually the right), while the other drifted inside to create a numerical advantage in the central area. This five-player attacking block maximized offensive personnel simultaneously.

This was the formation Carrick tried to implement during his three interim games at MU, achieving two wins and one draw, demonstrating the potential of his playing style with the MU squad.

If appointed interim manager, MU’s players would suit the style of the former number 16 midfielder very well. Particularly on the left flank, with Shaw’s presence—he excels at advancing and maintaining width. This setup allows Cunha/Mount to avoid wing-defensive duties, which proved ineffective during Fletcher’s interim period..

On the opposite wing, Mbeumo and Amad, both naturally wingers, would adapt easily to Carrick’s system. Meanwhile, Sesko fits perfectly as the Target Man in this formation.

However, a weakness in this lineup is MU’s lack of a central midfielder capable of orchestrating play like Hayden Hackney at Middlesbrough. This is a challenging issue Carrick must address if appointed interim manager at MU.

Nevertheless, Carrick appears to be a better fit for MU’s current squad compared to Ole Solskjaer, who favored speedy forwards and wing play. The announcement of MU’s interim manager appointment is expected before the match against Man City on January 17.