Carrick to Carry Manchester United: Is Ole Gunnar Solskjær a Better Option?

Michael Carrick’s return to Manchester United as interim head coach has reopened a familiar debate about what the club actually needs. Ruben Amorim walked away in early January with United sitting seventh in the Premier League, already drifting from the Champions League places. It was a position that felt flat for a side that should compete higher.

United have chosen to look inward, turning to Carrick whose ties to the club run deep on and off the pitch.

As a player, the former England international spent 12 years at United, made 464 appearances, and won 12 major trophies, including five Premier League titles and the 2008 Champions League.

His on-pitch intelligence, positional awareness and elite passing made him the heartbeat of some of United’s most successful sides.

He took those qualities into coaching where he served as a first team coach under José Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjær, and briefly took caretaker charge in November 2021, overseeing three unbeaten matches.

Now, Carrick steps into his first real managerial test at the club, with United in crisis and the season slipping.

Why Carrick?

The decision to appoint Carrick came after some consideration with Ole Gunnar Solskjær, who was also in talks for the role. Solskjær, like Carrick, carries the weight of United history, with 11 years as a player at Old Trafford and a reputation for scoring decisive goals, most famously the stoppage-time winner in the 1999 Champions League final.

As a manager, the Norwegian had a mixed spell of 168 games, 91 wins, and a second-place Premier League finish in 2020–21. But he left without lifting a major trophy. He was praised for his attacking style and helping young players grow, though some criticised him for not organising the defence well or making smart changes in big games.

Solskjær’s record still divides opinion. His spell as caretaker in 2019 started strongly, with 14 wins in 19 games, including nine straight away victories. The form faded once he took the job full time.

The Red Devils later suffered heavy defeats, including a 6-1 home loss to Tottenham and a 5-0 defeat to Liverpool. Those results exposed flaws, and critics argue they showed how his teams struggled when under pressure.

Stint at Middlesbrough

Carrick offers a different profile. He leads and thinks the game through. That showed during his caretaker spell in 2021, when he made big calls, including benching Cristiano Ronaldo against Chelsea. It was a clear message that the team comes first, no matter the name.

His work at Middlesbrough from 2022 to 2025 followed the same pattern. The 44-year-old lifted the club from mid-table uncertainty into contesting for play-off in 2023. Later seasons settled back into mid-table finishes. It summed up Carrick as a coach so far: he is careful, organised, and still learning, with results that matched his experience at that level.

United’s current situation raises the pressure. They’re 17 points off league leaders Arsenal, out of all domestic cups, and Carrick’s first game is a high-stakes Manchester derby.

As interim boss, he must chase short-term results while keeping an eye on long-term squad development. While Solskjær may have offered a more emotional, attack-minded approach, sources say Carrick was chosen for his understanding of the club, and clear plan. These are traits necessary to steady a team that is struggling.

The comparison between Carrick and Solskjær raises questions about United’s direction. Solskjær delivered some of the club’s best Premier League finishes since Ferguson, but his teams struggled to adapt and were exposed at the back in big games.

Carrick, still untested over a full season, brings a calmer, more analytical approach. Less flashy than Solskjær’s attacking style, he could offer short-term stability. Both know the club and have player credibility, but they have different styles: Solskjær motivates with emotion and attack, Carrick focuses on structure and process.