Michael Carrick has a very smart response when asked if Champions League qualification is barometer of success

Michael Carrick could deliver Manchester United’s main objective by securing Champions League football for next season, but the newly appointed head coach is aware that it is a huge challenge following a topsy-turvy first half to the campaign.

After an abysmal 2024/25 campaign, finishing 15th in the Premier League and losing the Europa League final, Manchester United set out to turn things around under Ruben Amorim.

Although there had been slight improvements in terms of results, Amorim was sacked a week ago, with Michael Carrick appointed as United’s new head coach until the end of the season.

The first fixture of Carrick’s second reign in the United dugout will see the Red Devils host title contenders Man City in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

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Carrick will be eager to get three points on the board to get United back to winning ways. After a dire festive period, the Reds are winless in four matches across all competitions.

Unless United start winning matches consistently, Champions League football won’t be a possibility next season. That could create unwanted hurdles for the next head coach, who is likely to succeed Carrick in the summer.

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Carrick has the advantage of knowing the club inside out, having spent 12 years of his playing career at Old Trafford and joining Jose Mourinho’s coaching staff immediately after retiring.

The newly appointed head coach was hesitant in his response to a question asking what a successful end to the season would look like for United this season.

Following reports that the United board have set Champions League qualification as Carrick’s main objective, the 44-year-old stressed that it’s not as clear-cut as that.

“I think we’ve got to be careful about what is success and what is failure in terms of so cleanly like that,” Carrick told reporters at his pre-match press conference ahead of the Manchester derby.

“I think it’s not as clear-cut as that. I think success is building and improving, and there’s no getting away from the fact that this club should be there.

“We can talk all day about where you should be, but it’s how you’re going to get there, you’ve got to earn it and you’ve got to prove that you’re good enough to get there. So that’s the challenge for us, and it always has been that, and that doesn’t change.

“It doesn’t change the motivation, the drive, and it doesn’t change the expectation, and it shouldn’t change the expectation.

“Certainly, there’s a bit of realism from me, but I’m definitely not going in [thinking] it’s all or nothing, but we need to improve and we need to keep up the league.”

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The media will quickly turn on Carrick if he doesn’t win matches and United continue to drop points and slip down the table, away from the Champions League spots.

Former club captain Roy Keane has already criticised Carrick, but the former England international isn’t the slightest bit bothered because he is focused on his job with United’s first team.

No discussions over future Michael Carrick role

Many noticed how United announced Carrick as their new head coach without using the word ‘interim’, like they had done in the past with other caretaker managers like Ryan Giggs and Ralf Rangnick.

The club carefully stated that it was a temporary role, with a permanent head coach expected to be announced in the summer.

Carrick was asked whether there had been any discussions regarding his role beyond this season.

“No, not at the moment,” he said.

“I think we’re realistic as well, and where we are at the moment, why I’m here and the role I’ve got to do. That doesn’t change how we go about it in the day-to-day and the focus and making decisions for the long-term kind of strategy of the group and the playing squad and whatever that kind of adds on extra and the layers after that.

“I think I’m certainly not coming in thinking it’s a time where week to week, game to game, we’ve got to get through it and we’ve got to tick each one off. I think we’re on a plan to improve and improve beyond this season, and however that looks at this moment, all I can control is what we give the players and how we kind of create the atmosphere around the group.

“So that’s the main focus and then we’ll see what happens after that.”

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