Five Reasons INEOS Should Pump the Brakes on Carrick's Permanent Appointment

Michael Carrick's caretaker credentials have taken a hit, and there's more to this puzzle than meets the eye. The 44-year-old's unbeaten run came crashing down at Newcastle, where William Osula's 90th-minute strike ended what had been six Premier League wins and a draw—enough to keep United competitive for Champions League qualification. Yet INEOS are hardly sitting idle, with Julian Nagelsmann, Roberto De Zerbi, and Luis Enrique all circulating in speculation, while Jamie Carragher has made the case for Unai Emery as the leading candidate.

Owen Hargreaves reckoned there'd be "uproar" if Carrick steered United back into Europe only to be overlooked, and others echo that sentiment. On BBC's The Wayne Rooney Show, a pundit argued: "I can't believe people are questioning whether he should get the job. Manchester United have waited about 12 years – they've gone for proven, legends, everything since Sir Alex. And the one time they are starting to play well, get results, the fans are on board – you're telling me at the end of the season if he gets third they will say 'thanks, but no thanks'. How is that possible?"

The Ole Precedent

Well, Michael, because that's precisely what happened with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. A caretaker spell that captured hearts led to the permanent gig, and we all know how that ended—with Solskjaer eventually sacked by Besiktas after 29 games, now working as a UEFA Match Analyst, whatever that actually involves.

The Performance Isn't Quite as Rosy as It Sounds

Yes, Carrick's United demolished Manchester City and Arsenal. Since then? They've scraped past Fulham 3-2 at home with a stoppage-time winner, laboured to beat ten-man Tottenham 2-0, drawn with West Ham, been largely outplayed despite beating Everton, and required both a penalty and a DOGSO decision to overturn things against Crystal Palace before losing to Newcastle. Brilliant is a stretch.

The Fixture List Advantage

Here's the thing: United have barely played. While Aston Villa have managed 12 matches since Carrick took over, United have just eight. Liverpool have played 13, Chelsea a whopping 15. Some players have grumbled that the lack of football is "hurting" them, but the training time and rest surely cancels that out. Still, it's an asterisk worth noting.

The Football Itself Lacks a Winning Blueprint

That extra training time has produced a brand of football eerily reminiscent of the Solskjaer era—brilliant on the counter-attack, dangerous in moments, but lacking genuine control. United haven't won a match where they've properly dominated possession and play. That's not how title-winning teams operate.

Ayden Heaven's Magnificent Indifference

Then there's Ayden Heaven. The 19-year-old has received seven minutes across three substitute appearances under Carrick, having started the previous eight Premier League games under Ruben Amorim. When asked what the "wheel" meant—after Capital XTRA Breakfast's Robert Bruce posed the question about who'd steer United next—Heaven's response was perfectly unfiltered: "What's the wheel?"

Asked directly about the managerial merry-go-round, Heaven delivered the line of the season: "I don't mind, honestly. I'm just waiting to see, you know. Just whatever's going to get us over the line."

Absolutely magnificent.