Man Utd’s next manager decided? Ratcliffe speaks out on ‘excellent’ Carrick

Robin Bairner

• 14 Mar 2026 13:15 GMT
• 4 min read

News

Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has dropped the strongest hint yet that interim manager Michael Carrick could be given the job on a permanent basis.

Carrick took command of the club following Ruben Amorim’s sacking and has overseen six victories in eight matches.

Despite this strong record, United continue to assess their options before the end of the season.

Ratcliffe praises 'excellent' Carrick

Ratcliffe has spoken out about Carrick’s position for the first time, and while the INEOS boss would not be drawn into committing to commenting on the long-term future of the former Man Utd midfielder, he did hint that he is a strong contender to remain at Old Trafford.

“He’s doing an excellent job, yes, absolutely,” he told Sky Sports News.

“Will he get the job on a permanent basis? No, I’m not going there!”

Ahead of the weekend’s clash with Aston Villa, United were third in the league with nine games remaining, and returning to the Champions League is the goal that Ratcliffe seems to have set before the end of the campaign.

“Clearly we’re still thinking about that, but there are still seven or eight games to go, so there’s still a while yet,” he added.

Man Utd managers: Ratcliffe and INEOS with something to prove

Ratcliffe’s INEOS group has held a controlling responsibility over the sporting side of Man Utd since February 2024.

Several vital managerial calls have been made since that point. First, there was the controversial decision to keep Erik ten Hag on following the club’s FA Cup final success at the end of the 2023/24 campaign.

Despite poor league form, a contract extension in the Dutchman’s deal was triggered, yet four months later he found himself out of work.

It was under the guidance of INEOS that Ruben Amorim was subsequently appointed, yet the Portuguese led United to their worst Premier League finish ever and was sacked at great expense after 14 months.

Ratcliffe and INEOS are therefore under significant pressure not to make another error.

Carrick’s start to life at Old Trafford has been promising but United have seen such false dawns before.

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