MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Michael Carrick’s start at Manchester United could not be more daunting.
First up is the fierce local derby with Manchester City at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Saturday. Next is league leader Arsenal away.
That’s the top two in the standings for a coach barely experienced at this level and taking on a role that increasingly looks like an impossible job after Ruben Amorim last week became the sixth coach or manager to make way since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.
Not that Carrick, a man who won the full set of major trophies as a United player, gives the impression of being overawed by the situation.
“I feel in a really good place to be here. It feels very natural, to be honest, very normal,’ he said this week. “I understand the job, what it entails and the responsibility of it.”
Carrick had an unbeaten three-game interim spell in charge of United in 2021 but his only long-term experience as a manager was at second-tier Middlesbrough from 2022-25.
He has a contract until the end of the season as United gives itself time to identify candidates to try to end a decade plus of decline. Carrick has the chance to put himself in the frame in the 17 remaining games this term.
City is still in the hunt for four trophies and rolled over Amorim’s United 3-0 in September.
Carrick wants to put smiles on the faces of fans who jeered at the final whistle as United was knocked out of the FA Cup by Brighton last week.
“I want to be off my seat (with excitement),” he said. “I want to be enjoying watching the boys play and results obviously need to come with that. You can feel my kind of enthusiasm for it because I’m buzzing to get started and see what we can do.”
Key matchups
Tottenham vs. West Ham brings together managers who are feeling the pressure to turn results around. Relegation-fighting West Ham is on a 10-game winless streak in the league under Nuno Espirito Santo.
Spurs coach Thomas Frank has only one win in his last six league games. It’s one win in seven in total after his team was dumped out of the FA Cup by Aston Villa last week.
Arsenal plays another relegation candidate in Nottingham Forest.
Players to watch
Conor Gallagher is back in the Premier League after joining Spurs from Atletico Madrid.
Bryan Mbeumo should be available for United after returning from the Africa Cup of Nations and his strike partner Benjamin Sesko has found his scoring touch in recent weeks with three goals in his last two games.
Out of action
Cole Palmer and Reece James have missed Chelsea’s last two games as a precaution, according to coach Liam Rosenior.
Liverpool’s Conor Bradley faces a lengthy period out after knee surgery and Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has also undergone surgery on his right hamstring.
Off the field
VAR has been in the headlines again for the wrong reasons. Man City’s Antoine Semenyo had a brilliant back-heeled goal ruled out by VAR because Erling Haaland was deemed to be interfering in a marginally offside position. What didn’t help was the lengthy deliberation period that held up Tuesday’s English League Cup semifinal at Newcastle.
It has led to more debate over the offside laws and when VAR should intervene.
___
James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
