‘What I hear at Old Trafford’: The internal update on Michael Carrick landing permanent Man United job
Michael Carrick is edging increasingly closer to becoming the next permanent Man United manager with calls for his appointment growing yet again.
Man United beat Everton 1-0 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, meaning they have now won five of their six games under Carrick and have kept three clean sheets.
The Red Devils have now leapfrogged Chelsea into fourth place in the Premier League table, and cut the gap to Aston Villa to just three points.
Former Man United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that Carrick is now the clear leading contender despite other big-name options.
The boss has a number of backers behind the scenes and in the first team squad and has already won over some influential members of the dressing room.
Michael Carrick increasingly likely to land Man United job
Brown told Football Insider on 10 February that Carrick is the leading contender for Man United, but any calls for his immediate appointment will fall on deaf ears.
United remain keen to assess their options at the end of the season, although the current interim boss has put himself in a very strong position to beat rivals to the role.
“The Everton result is a big one for Man United,” Brown told Football Insider.
“Some of the teams around them dropped points. It gets them into a stronger position in the league, going above Chelsea, closing the gap to Villa.
“Carrick continues to impress, the players clearly like him and there’s a real good feeling around the club that hasn’t been there for a long time.
“I think he will get the job at the end of the season, they won’t make the decision now though.
“But from what I hear coming out of the club, everybody has taken to him and his style and he’s very well-liked both by the higher-ups and with the players.
“That can be the most challenging thing sometimes, getting some of the big influential players on side, but he has done that already.
“If results keep going the way they have been, I don’t see any reason why he shouldn’t be given the job, and hopefully he continues the way he has started.”
Who else is among the leading candidates for Man United?
Despite growing calls for Carrick to be given the permanent job, the United board remain aware that they have had false dawns before under previous managers.
As a result, they are continuing to eye big-name and experienced managers who would bring more of a pedigree to the role than Carrick can offer.
This comes after Football Insider revealed in January that Man United are lining up a “top-class” manager to become their next permanent boss following an interim spell.
Among the leading candidates for the position are the likes of Julian Nagelsmann, Roberto De Zerbi and Oliver Glasner, although Carrick remains most likely.
If United can keep up their recent form and cement themselves in the Premier League’s top four, there is a growing possibility he will beat rivals to the role.
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