Ronaldo found the net three times under Carrick’s stewardship and offered warm words for his former colleague when he left. “Michael Carrick was a class act as a player and he can become a great coach as well,” the ex-United forward posted online.
“Nothing is impossible for this guy. Personally, I’m proud to have played with him by my side as well as with him as a manager on our bench.”
Carrick now stands on the brink of validating Ronaldo’s faith in him. To achieve this, the 34-cap England international must silence his critics.
In November 2022, Carrick took charge at Middlesbrough. He secured a commendable play-off berth during his inaugural season, but following two unsuccessful promotion bids, he was relieved of his duties last June.
Carrick had two years remaining on his contract at Middlesbrough, but the club’s 10th-place finish failed to meet the board’s expectations. He was accompanied in the dugout by his brother, Graeme, and former club star Jonathan Woodgate.
If United opt to appoint Carrick as interim manager, his first match in charge would be the small matter of a Manchester derby, with City visiting Old Trafford on Saturday. The following weekend sees a trip to league leaders Arsenal.
United have been under the stewardship of under-18s boss and Carrick’s former team-mate, Darren Fletcher, for the past two games following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim. Fletcher’s tenure began with a 2-2 draw away at Burnley last Wednesday.
On Sunday, United were knocked out of the FA Cup, suffering a 2-1 defeat to Brighton at a despondent Old Trafford. This means that Carrick’s sole focus would be securing the best possible league position.