Keane Won't Back Carrick for Permanent Job Despite Man Utd's Arsenal Demolition

Roy Keane has delivered a withering assessment of Michael Carrick's credentials for the Manchester United job, refusing to back the interim boss for a permanent appointment regardless of what happens between now and May.

Carrick's side delivered another statement performance on Sunday, dismantling Arsenal 3-2 at the Emirates to extend their unbeaten run to two matches. Bryan Mbeumo, Patrick Dorgu and Matheus Cunha got on the scoresheet as United climbed above Liverpool into fourth place in the Premier League table.

It's the second successive morale-boosting result under Carrick's stewardship, following hard on the heels of their Manchester Derby victory over City. That sequence of results has naturally sparked speculation about whether the former midfielder might be considered for the full-time role. Keane, however, wants to pour cold water on any such notion.

Speaking to Sky Sports, the former United captain acknowledged the positive signs on display. "The one thing you would say with United is that, in these last two performances, they've certainly played with a lot of energy. They've had that look about them," he observed, noting that the availability of key personnel like Harry Maguire had helped matters.

Keane also pointed out that both City and Arsenal had demanding midweek fixtures to contend with – details that may have worked in United's favour. Yet he remained unconvinced that Carrick represents a long-term solution for Old Trafford.

"If United win every game from now until the end of the season, I still wouldn't be giving him the job," Keane stated bluntly. "I just think they need a bigger, more experienced manager. Simple as that."

The pundit's reasoning was straightforward: United need someone with the pedigree to restore the club to championship-winning status. "The size of the club and the challenges they face over the next few years… you want a manager you feel will come in and get Manchester United winning league titles. Are we all going to sit here and think Michael Carrick will get Manchester United winning league titles? I don't believe he's the man to get Manchester United back winning league titles."

Gary Neville took a noticeably warmer view of Carrick's contribution thus far. The United legend praised the interim boss's temperament and professionalism, noting that his mandate was always to restore some semblance of stability and enjoyment before stepping aside.

"A few weeks ago, before the first game, I think everybody in football thought that a really successful thing would be for Michael Carrick to hold the baton for the rest of the season, put some happiness back into the players and fans, get the performance levels and try and get them into Europe – and if he does that, hand the baton over," Neville explained.

He expressed particular satisfaction with United's recent displays, emphasizing that the quality of play had improved markedly. "Forget the fact they've won the games, they've just played the game properly, how I would expect them to play, with the intensity and energy and quality."

Neville's vision sees Carrick fulfilling that stabilizing role before making way for a world-class operator – specifically mentioning Thomas Tuchel and Carlo Ancelotti as the calibre of appointment United should pursue. "That's what his job is now," Neville concluded, confident that Carrick himself understands the temporary nature of his tenure.