Carrick driving Man Utd’s Champions League push, says MEN reporter Steven Railston | OneFootball

Manchester United’s season has been transformed in recent months, explains Manchester Evening News reporter Steven Railston, with Michael Carrick guiding the club firmly back into the race for Champions League football.

Since taking charge, Carrick has overseen a remarkable turnaround, with no side winning more Premier League games in that period, having also recorded statement wins over Manchester City and Arsenal.

With five games remaining, attention is now on securing a return to Europe’s top competition, with the former Red Devils midfielder's impact making him the favourite to take the role on a permanent basis this summer.

Manchester United are third in the Premier League table with five games left to play in 2025/26. How would you sum up the last two or three months?

It has been fantastic. If you had said, when Ruben Amorim was sacked, that United would be third and on course to get back into the Champions League, fans would have snapped your hand off - and that has all been down to the work of Michael Carrick and his coaching staff.

Since he has come in, no side has won more Premier League games, and to start with wins against Manchester City and Arsenal was really good. He could not have made a bigger impact, really.

It has been a massive improvement. Amorim had left them in sixth position, and I do not think they would be in the position they are now if he had not left the club.

Carrick has won eight of his 12 Premier League games in charge, which is half of United’s total so far this term. What are your thoughts on whether he could get the job permanently in the summer?

If I am honest, it looks like he is a shoo-in because of the games he has won, where they are in the table and the wider context of the managerial market.

The likes of Luis Enrique and Julian Nagelsmann, for example, would have to be considered, but if you are looking down the division at people like Andoni Iraola or Oliver Glasner, it is always a big jump up to a traditional 'big six' club. We have seen examples down the years of managers getting those chances, which they have deserved, but then struggling.

Carrick has got the benefit of knowing the club and it sounds like a bit of a cliché, but it clearly does mean a little bit. He has been in the building over these last four months and he has proved he can cut it.

He is popular with the players, he has got a solid, experienced coaching staff, a varied skillset behind him, and the fans are very happy as well. That all comes into the melting pot and makes him the favourite to land the job on a permanent basis in the summer.

As you said, United are on course to return to the Champions League next season. How important will that be for the club?

Absolutely huge - for both footballing and financial reasons. You need to be in the Champions League to attract the best players and, without it, it is difficult to make a case to them in the summer transfer window.

In terms of financials, you can only do so much when you are not in the tournament. The Europa League last season was bringing in a bit more revenue, but no Europe this season was a disaster. That was on them; they were abysmal last season, and you reap what you sow.

They need to get back into the Champions League, and it is looking very likely now, which means they have more of an eye on whether they finish third, which is the target.

Which player should Brentford be keeping an eye out for on Monday?

It is obvious which player is the most important in that dressing room right now: Bruno Fernandes. He has 18 Premier League assists this season and just seems to turn up and perform every single week.

I spoke to Senne Lammens in the mixed zone just after the Chelsea game recently and I asked what it was like to play with Bruno, and he said he is just such a top player who brings the rest of the dressing room up to his level.

I think that sums it up quite nicely with him; he is the talisman in that group and, without him, they would not be in the position they are.

What should Keith Andrews’ men expect in terms of shape and style?

It is completely different now, and that is why Carrick is doing so well. The first thing he changed was the formation. Amorim was wedded to 3-4-3 and it did not work out, so Carrick changed the shape.

He also integrated Kobbie Mainoo back into the team. Down at the Gtech earlier in the season, he was introduced around the 65-minute mark and received a huge cheer from the away section, which felt like a pointed dig at Amorim and his handling of Mainoo, who was close to leaving the club when he was in charge.

He is now back in the England squad and has been pivotal in that three-man midfield of Mainoo, Fernandes and Casemiro, which feels a lot more balanced now. It is criminal that Amorim could not find a way to fit them into the system.

Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha are on either flank, and Benjamin Šeško – one of the most in-form strikers in 2026 - is the striker.

What’s your score prediction?

I have got full respect for Brentford and it has been amazing to see what they have done, despite losing Thomas Frank and some key players, but I will have to go for a Manchester United win.

It will not be an easy game and some of United’s performances have not been great in moments over the last few weeks; the second half against Chelsea was not pretty, but they found a way to win. I will go for a 2-1 United win.