Gary Neville has warned Manchester United against appointing Michael Carrick as their permanent manager, despite the former midfielder’s impressive turnaround of the team.
Carrick, 44, took charge after the January dismissal of Ruben Amorim and has overseen a remarkable revival. United have won five of their last six Premier League games, reigniting their push for Champions League qualification. Key victories include wins over title contenders Manchester City and Arsenal.
Most recently, United secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium, with substitute Benjamin Sesko scoring the decisive goal, lifting the club back into the top four.
However, speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, Neville cautioned the club against repeating past mistakes by entrusting the job to another relatively inexperienced coach.
“Manchester United have to pursue another manager right now,” Neville said. “You don’t know how results will go, and the club needs to plan properly.”
Neville highlighted United’s history of appointing former players or untested managers, citing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as an example of a tenure that ultimately fell short.
“If he gets United into the Champions League, there’ll be a lot of excitement about giving him the job,” Neville added. “I’m not against him — I love him to bits. But United should go for the best-in-class manager available. Removing as much risk as possible is the right approach.”
He also noted that the pool of elite managerial candidates is shrinking, pointing to Thomas Tuchel’s renewed commitment to England as reducing available options.
Neville revealed he has spoken directly with club officials, stating that United are already evaluating potential managerial targets but will not rush a decision based solely on short-term results. A final appointment is expected closer to the end of the season.
Despite reservations about a permanent role, Neville believes Carrick can guide United back into Europe’s top competition this season. With no European fixtures to disrupt them, he suggested the team could even climb as high as third, particularly as rivals such as Aston Villa, Chelsea, and Liverpool juggle continental commitments.
“They’re winning when they play well and when they don’t,” Neville said. “The players look confident. All the right signs are there.”
For now, Carrick’s resurgence has reignited optimism at Old Trafford — but whether it leads to a long-term appointment remains uncertain.
