Man Utd trio make next manager decision as ‘chess player’ catches strays | OneFootball

Senior players at Manchester United have backed Michael Carrick to be handed the permanent reins at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils sacked Ruben Amorim in January and replaced the Portuguese head coach with Carrick until the end of the season.

After being held to a 2-2 draw against Bournemouth over the weekend, Man Utd have now won seven, drawn two and lost one of their ten matches under Carrick.

The dramatic upturn in results has put the former Man Utd midfielder in a strong position to land the job on a permanent basis in the summer.

There’s reported interest in Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique, who’s previously stated his desire to manage in the Premier League, but the Ligue 1 club’s president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is ‘keen to secure Enrique’s long-term future’ after he led PSG to their first Champions League title last season.

The i Paper has also suggested that Enrique may wait for Manchester City as Pep Guardiola’s current deal expires at the end of next season.

Sky Sports claimed this week that Carrick’s chances of being handed the permanent reins have been ‘boosted’ as Man Utd ‘have still not made contact with any other potential candidates’ and he’s also got the backing of the ‘majority’ of the players at Old Trafford, according to The Sun.

It’s claimed captain Bruno Fernandes, Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw are ‘impressed both with Carrick’s tactical approach and his knowledge of the world game’.

A source said: “Michael has come in and done great because he has been a breath of fresh air.

“Some of the players expected that, because playing for Amorim was like playing chess.

“You had to follow his rules to the tee, whereas Michael has told them to express themselves.

“What they are really impressed with is his knowledge of the game.

“He knows about players in other leagues and clearly spends an awful lot of time thinking about football and following it.

“The players know it’s not their decision, but the majority would be happy if he got the job permanently.”

Club hero David Beckham has been thoroughly impressed by the stability and “calmness” Carrick has brought to the club.

“Yeah, I must admit, the last few months have been a lot more comfortable than the last 10 years, to be honest. It’s been tough over that time,” Beckham said.

“I think Michael’s got experience. I think he’s got a calmness about him that he’s brought into the club. He knows the club. He knows the players. He knows the way Man United play and the way Man United should play.

“And I’ve always liked Michael as a coach. You know, when you look at him, there’s a calmness. There’s, on the side of the pitch, there’s, I don’t want to say elegance because I’m not sure that’s the right thing to say, but there’s an elegance in the way he is, whether it’s the way he celebrates, whether it’s the way he gets angry.”