Top five things Michael Carrick needs to fix at Manchester United

United are set to have a new face in the dugout once again.

Michael Carrick has been named Manchester United’s temporary head coach through the end of the current campaign. All sides have worked to finalise this deal after reaching an agreement in principle to appoint Carrick and his coaching staff.

Michael Carrick’s arrival was confirmed towards the end of Tuesday. The Manchester derby on Saturday is probably going to be the 44-year-old’s first game in charge. The first team had their Tuesday off, and Carrick and his staff are scheduled to hold their first training session on Wednesday.

Michael Carrick will be under a lot of pressure and is already looking at the plenty of holes he will need to fix.

Michael Carrick is back 🤝 Our former captain is our Head Coach for the remainder of 2025/26 🔴

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 13, 2026

What are the five most important things Michael Carrick will need to address at United?

5. Bring a clear style and identity

One thing Manchester United have lacked over the years has been their identity. Many managers tried plenty of methods to find a winning way, but all have failed so far. However, Michael Carrick won’t have much time to employ his identity and instantly turn around the situation at the club.

But he has been an ex-player and is aware of what the club need to tick all the boxes. He should bring back the 4-3-3 formation, where the players will understand their role and won’t struggle to perform in the league.

4. Restore confidence in players

After a challenging time under Ruben Amorim, the current team lacks confidence. Michael Carrick’s straightforward communication style and composed manner are regarded as advantages. In order to ease the players’ stress and promote a more pleasant atmosphere, he should make instructions simpler.

He has previously coached the club and has gotten positive results, and will be hoping to bring a positive attitude to the dressing room.

3. Give youth more chances

Under Ruben Amorim, barely any youth players received a chance to play for the first team. However, United are known for growing a few of the best youth players in Europe. Carrick will be keeping an eye on the young stars who are impressing at the youth level.

Many big names undoubtedly merit a chance to play for the senior squad and will be hoping to receive a call to play for the first team.

2. Build a strong attack with pace and width

Despite boosting one of the best attacks, Manchester United have failed to make the most of it and have struggled to score goals. The club once again invested heavily by bringing the likes of Mbeumo, Cunha and Sesko. But none of them have been able to complement each other on the pitch, which is something Michael Carrick will need to fix.

Michael Carrick has decent attacking resources, but the only thing he will need to figure out is how to use them; he wants his side to remain a top attacking threat in the games.

1. Establish a balanced midfield

Michael Carrick knows the importance of balance because he was once a top midfield player. In order to prevent the midfield from being easily overrun, he must make sure the midfield partnership—which most likely consists of Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes—offers both a strong defensive shield and a foundation for innovative assaults.

United have had one of the poorest midfields, which has often been exposed by many lesser-known Premier League clubs. Hence, the former United star will have to address that.

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