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Manchester United legend, Gary Neville, has urged the club to think carefully before appointing Michael Carrick as their next permanent manager, despite the team’s impressive revival under the former midfielder.
Carrick, 44, stepped in following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim in January and has overseen a dramatic turnaround. United have won five of their last six Premier League matches, reigniting their push for Champions League qualification. The run includes notable victories over title challengers Manchester City and Arsenal.
Most recently, United secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium, with Benjamin Sesko coming off the bench to score the decisive goal and lift the club back into the top four.
However, speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, Neville warned that appointing another inexperienced coach could repeat past mistakes.
“Manchester United have to pursue another manager right now,” Neville said. “You don’t know how results will go, and the club needs to plan properly.” He highlighted United’s history of hiring former players or relatively untested managers, pointing to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s tenure as an example that ultimately fell short.
“If he gets United into the Champions League, there’ll be a lot of excitement about giving him the job,” Neville added. “I’m not against him — I love him to bits. But United should go for the best-in-class manager available. Removing as much risk as possible is the right approach.”
Neville also noted that managerial options may be narrowing, citing Thomas Tuchel’s renewed commitment to England as limiting the pool of elite candidates.
According to Neville, he has spoken directly with club officials about their plans. United have already begun evaluating potential managerial targets but will not rush into an appointment based solely on short-term results. The club intends to wait until closer to the end of the season before making a final decision.
Despite his reservations about a permanent role, Neville believes Carrick can guide United back into Europe’s top competition this season. With no European fixtures to distract them, he suggested United could even climb as high as third place, particularly as rivals like Aston Villa, Chelsea, and Liverpool juggle continental commitments.
“They’re winning when they play well and when they don’t,” Neville said. “The players look confident. All the right signs are there.”
For now, Carrick’s resurgence has restored optimism at Old Trafford — but whether it will lead to a long-term appointment remains uncertain.
