According to reports, Michael Carrick is ‘in the box seat’ to become Manchester United’s next permanent manager after the win against Manchester City.

Carrickhas been named Man Utd’s interim boss until the summer as he has replaced former head coach Ruben Amorim.

The former Middlesbrough boss has been brought in to steady the ship for the remainder of this campaign and potentially qualify for the Champions League, but he has had a dream start at Man Utd.

On Saturday afternoon, the Red Devils produced their best performance of the 2025/26 campaign as they deservedly beat arch-rivals Man City 2-0 at Old Trafford and they should have won by a bigger margin.

This sets the Red Devils up to have a strong end to the season, but we have been here before and it remains to be seen whether they will consistently perform during the run-in.

Still, a new report from Football Insider has provided an update from a ‘top source’, with reporter Pete O’Rourke claiming ‘Carrick’s position as interim boss at Man United – a hugely popular club for signed football shirts – puts him in the box seat to become the next permanent manager ahead of other candidates’.

“Michael Carrick has got the job now and he’s in the box seat,” O’Rourke told Football Insider.

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“If he does well who’s to say he doesn’t get the job on a full-time basis as well.

“Man United will be looking at all their options in the summer. Ideally they’re looking to bring in an elite manager who can get them back to where they should be.

“It’ll be an intense race to see who United go for, because there are a lot of other managers in their thinking at the moment as well.”

Despite this, club legend Neville has insisted that the Red Devils cannot get “carried away” and Carrick must focus on “laying a foundation” for next season.

“It is not a time to get giddy or carried away,” Neville said on his Sky Sports podcast.

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“Michael Carrick has laid a foundation today for the next four months, and if he can continue to lay that foundation here with that level of performance for the next four months, the person who picks up the baton at the end of the season can be in a good place.

“Ralf Rangnick came, it didn’t quite happen in terms of that handover. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer came in and then got given the job. Michael Carrick’s got to hand that baton over in good shape, and that is an unbelievable start for him.”

He added: “It’s not a time to say that Manchester United will sustain this and carry up the league, this has got to be a bridge towards potentially getting a European place, top five would be amazing.

“But this is not the return of Manchester United, it’s the return of at least something that looks like the club. It’s been a pale imitation this last many years really.

“It’s been awful. Some of the performances here, you have to see a good one to remind you about how bad it has been.”