Michael Carrick praised the composure and attitude of his Manchester United squad after guiding the club to a dominant 2-0 victory over Manchester City in his first match as caretaker manager, following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim earlier this year.
Despite the short turnaround and the pressure surrounding his appointment, United delivered one of their most assured performances of the campaign, controlling the game with intensity, discipline and clarity in their approach. The result not only secured bragging rights over their city rivals but also offered a timely boost to morale after a turbulent period at Old Trafford.
Speaking to Manchester United media via the club’s official X handle, Carrick admitted that despite the noise surrounding his appointment, the build-up to the game was surprisingly settled, with the players responding positively to his ideas.Carrick said.
“I’ve had some crazy weeks in my time but, to be honest, it wasn’t actually a crazy week. The boys have been brilliant, the staff have been brilliant. It’s been quite calm, quite clear in terms of what we’ve tried to do and the messages we’ve tried to get across, and the boys have taken it on board unbelievably well. Great start, no getting away from that. The boys were fantastic today. Proud of them, proud of the performance, proud of the result. And yeah, enjoyable day.
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The victory marks another impressive chapter in Carrick’s short but effective history in the Manchester United dugout. Softfootball understands that the former midfielder previously served as interim manager in 2021, where he oversaw four matches, winning three of them including a memorable 3-2 victory over Arsenal and drawing one.
Saturday’s derby success means Carrick has now won three of the four games he has managed for United across both interim spells, further underlining his ability to steady the team during periods of transition.
United’s commanding display against City will provide a major confidence boost as Carrick begins his stint in charge for the remainder of the season, with supporters hopeful the former captain can help guide the club through a challenging campaign.
