Maguire's Revealing Comparison of Amorim and Carrick Makes a Compelling Case for Keeping the Interim Boss

Harry Maguire has credited Manchester United's new capacity to "grind out results" since Michael Carrick was appointed interim manager in January.

On the other hand, the central defender also acknowledged how the side frequently fell short in closely-fought contests—such as Monday night's 2–1 victory over Brentford—under his predecessor Ruben Amorim.

United made no new signings during the January transfer window, which may have played a role in Amorim's departure following reports of a disagreement over recruitment with sporting director Jason Wilcox. As a result, Carrick has been working with the exact same squad of players.

Since taking charge in January, Carrick has accumulated 29 points from a possible 39, winning nine of his 13 matches. Amorim, who presided over a historically dismal 2024–25 campaign as United dropped to 15th place, managed just 31 points from 60 in the first 20 Premier League games of this season.

Michael Carrick Compared to Ruben Amorim—2025–26 Premier League

Darren Fletcher took charge of one match as caretaker manager—draw vs. Burnley.

United had suffered only five Premier League defeats under Amorim this season before the Portuguese coach was relieved of his duties. However, the team had been beaten on 14 occasions under his watch during 2024–25.

"The numbers say it all," Maguire told Sky Sports, reflecting on the steadiness and positive momentum that has built over recent months.

"Since the manager came in and the formation changed, we just seem to be picking up results. Games before, when Ruben was in charge, were 50/50, but we always seemed to end up on the losing side. Now it feels like it's flipped, where we're much sharper in both boxes. We defend our box a lot better, and we're managing to be clinical at the other end."

Michael Carrick Has Simplified Things

Manchester United closing on Champions League football, and Michael Carrick surely closing on the permanent role. 13 games, 9 wins, 2 draws, 2 defeats. The performances haven't all been convincing but the results largely have been.

A good performance/result against Liverpool at…

Amorim arrived with ambitious tactical ideas that had underpinned his achievements in Portugal with Sporting CP, having led the club to their first league title in a generation before successfully defending it.

However, that 3-4-2-1 system never clicked at United, even after months of drilling it into the squad. When Amorim briefly abandoned those tactics—against Newcastle on Dec. 26—the Red Devils came away with a win. The following two matches, after reverting to the original setup, both ended in draws.

Darren Fletcher reinstated the 4-2-3-1 during his short spell as caretaker, a formation Carrick has since maintained.

Speaking last month, goalkeeper Senne Lammens praised Carrick for stripping things back, hinting that Amorim's instructions had been overly complex.

"The first thing was [Carrick's] ability to make everything very clear and deliver a straightforward message. He didn't overcomplicate things for us," Lammens told The Athletic at the time.

"Sometimes managers make their plans too complicated, and then some players don't buy in and it becomes hard for everyone to get on the same page. But from the very first game, it was crystal clear what he wanted. He wasn't asking for the most difficult things, but he was also able to let our players express their strengths."

Will Man Utd Hire Michael Carrick As Permanent Manager?

Carrick has virtually secured a return to Champions League football at Old Trafford next season, fulfilling the primary objective set out when he was handed temporary control through to the summer.

It has been close to the ideal audition for landing the role on a permanent basis. The club has resisted the urge to rush into a decision—a contrast to when a previous leadership group handed Ole Gunnar Solskjær a permanent deal mid-season in 2018–19, only to see results deteriorate for the remainder of that campaign. Nevertheless, there has been no noise surrounding any alternative candidates, suggesting Carrick remains the strong frontrunner.

The fact that he has already proven himself in the position, that the players clearly hold him in high regard, and that he carries a deep connection with the club spanning two decades—a far more significant factor than critics are willing to admit—all point toward one inevitable conclusion.