Three Ways Michael Carrick Would Improve Manchester United If He Were to Be Appointed as Ruben Amorim's Successor

The dust hasn't settled at Old Trafford, but the verdict has already been resoundingly delivered. Ruben Amorim's turbulent 14-month spell ended after a fiery press conference and subsequent 1-1 draw away at rivals Leeds United, and it did so amid a flurry of boardroom recriminations and dressing-room discord. He leaves Manchester United sixth in the table and scrambling for answers.

With Amorim now gone, online betting sites don't currently project an improved outlook for United this season. Upstart outlet still https://www.luckyrebel.la/sportsbook makes the Red Devils a 5/1 outsider to finish in the top four, something which was considered a minimum expectation at the start of the season. So, what happens next?

Is Carrick Next in Line?

Enter Michael Carrick. The club's legendary former central midfielder steadied the ship after Ole Gunnar Solskjær's departure in 2021, winning at Villarreal and drawing at Chelsea without breaking sweat. Then, he quietly left for Middlesbrough, proving himself in the Championship trenches as he led the Riverside outfit to the brink of promotion in his first season in charge.

Darren Fletcher is currently minding the store on a caretaker basis, but his temporary reign has left a lot to be desired. A draw at Burnley and adisastrous loss at home to Brighton in the third round of the FA Cup have seemingly increased the urgency in United's hunt for a new manager. Whispers suggest that Carrick is now the frontrunner to return, but can the Geordie maestro, who once orchestrated United's midfield for more than a decade, translate that poise into managerial salvation? Here are three ways he could drag the Red Devils out of their latest malaise.

He'll Actually Pick a System That Makes Sense

Amorim's undoing wasn't just tactical—it was stubbornness bordering on arrogance. That now-notorious 3-4-2-1 became his security blanket even when everyone at Old Trafford could see it wasn't working. The proof of that came in the weeks before the Portuguese manager's dismissal.

Amorim played with a flat back four in the recent home game against Newcastle, and his side managed to grind out a 1-0 victory courtesy of Patrick Dorgu's first-half stunner, with the club securing its first clean sheet of the season in the process. Immediately thereafter, just as it looked like Amorim's United was turning a corner, he reverted to 3-4-2-1, and the Red Devils proceeded to pick up back-to-back draws against relegation candidates: rock bottom Wolves and newly promoted Leeds.

Carrick won't make the mistake of allowing arrogance to cloud his judgment. His Middlesbrough team played sensible, flexible football—usually a 4-2-3-1 that shifted into something more adventurous when chasing games. The result? Boro led the Championship in high turnovers and quick transitions, blending patience with directness. Imagine that at United: Bruno Fernandes finally freed in the ten role, Bryan Mbuemo and perhaps a recalled Marcus Rashford given licence to roam, and a defence that actually knows its shape.

Revolutionary? Hardly. But after the tactical anarchy of recent months, common sense might feel like genius.

The man's not wedded to ideology for ideology's sake. At Boro, he adjusted match-to-match, sometimes pressing high, sometimes sitting deep, depending on the opponent. That pragmatism is what United desperately need right now—someone who'll pick the team to win Saturday's match, not to prove a philosophical point.

He'll Actually Trust the Academy Kids

Despite the turmoil surrounding the club, United's academy remains world-class. Places such as Arsenal's London Colney usually get the headlines, but Carrington churns out technically brilliant footballers year after year. Yet even still, Amorim only gave Shea Lacey—a lad who's torn up the Under-20s—all of six minutes before getting the boot.

Carrick, on the other hand, has form here. He started his coaching career with United's Under-14s, working with the cohort that produced the likes of Anthony Elanga. At Middlesbrough, he transformed Morgan Rogers from a raw 21-year-old into a £15 million Aston Villa signing in six months flat. Hayden Hackney went from academy prospect to Premier League target under his watch. If—and it's a big if—he can import that philosophy to Old Trafford, it could transform the mood around the place.

Lacey, Toby Collyer, and perhaps even Sheffield Wednesday loanee Harry Amass could well get a chance. And surely, SURELY, Kobbie Mainoo returns to the starting eleven. Their potential promotions might not save the season on their own, but they'd inject some life into a squad that looks battered and bruised.

He'll Sort Out That Midfield Disaster

The irony is almost painful. Michael Carrick—arguably United's best midfielder since Roy Keane—left as a player, and the position has been an absolute black hole ever since. Kobbie Mainoo - when he's actually on the pitch - has got energy and talent in abundance, but lacks positional discipline at his tender age. Bruno's brilliance is offset by his tendency to give the ball away in dangerous areas. Casemiro looks three years past his sell-by date. And now Bruno's reportedly eyeing an exit after the World Cup because he can't stomach another season of this chaos.

Carrick's playing career was built on calmness under pressure, economical passing, and always being available for the out ball. Those qualities are precisely what United's midfield lacks right now. As a coach at Middlesbrough, he implemented double-pivot systems that emphasized ball retention and smart positioning, though he sometimes struggled to marry that with high pressing because Championship squads don't have the technical quality to pull it off.

At United? With better players? He could finally execute the vision properly. A 4-2-3-1 with two disciplined sitters protecting a defence that's conceded goals for fun all season, giving Bruno freedom higher up the pitch. It's the obvious solution—one that Amorim somehow never considered because it didn't fit his beloved 3-4-2-1. Carrick won't make that mistake. He'll build from the middle outward, restore some control, and maybe—just maybe—give United a platform to actually compete.