Man Utd’s Carrick safe despite Ancelotti rumours, says former striker
Manchester United have been told why dismissing interim manager Michael Carrick would not lift the club, even if former Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti or Mauricio Pochettino were installed, with former striker Louis Saha arguing the problems run deeper than the coach.
Interim success and Champions League qualification
During his short spell in charge, Carrick made the Manchester United job look effortless, guiding the side to a third‑place league finish and securing Champions League football – a form that made predecessor Ruben Amorim appear modest.
Early season setbacks and cup exit
Six games into the new campaign, United have lost three of their first six matches across all competitions, and a Carabao Cup defeat to Brighton shattered a 50‑year home unbeaten run after a 2‑0 lead was relinquished.
The loss sparked immediate speculation that Carrick could be on borrowed time at Old Trafford, with comparisons to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s dismissal resurfacing.
Former striker Saha’s view on the managerial dilemma
Sources quickly dismissed any plan to axe the 44‑year‑old, and Saha was adamant that a change would achieve nothing, saying: “How can Michael Carrick avoid falling short as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer did? What he must do now is support the team to animate the system, a way of playing, a certain motion and rhythm to what they do.”
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He added that both Ancelotti and Pochettino would not markedly improve United’s fortunes: “Mauricio Pochettino could be the next Sir Alex Ferguson, but Man Utd will be a massive step up… You could bring in Carlo Ancelotti at Manchester United, or any manager and I’m telling you that they would still face these challenges.”
Saha praised Carrick’s work, noting the manager has restored confidence among the players: “Michael Carrick has done well so far. He has brought back a level of confidence with the players and at United that is extremely important.”
Nevertheless, Saha urged Carrick to show more passion on the touchline, arguing that a manager’s energy can pressure a sluggish side: “Michael Carrick is too passive on the sidelines for a coach… It’s important that we see a manager at times like this bringing an energy level to the touchline to help put the right pressure on the players.”
The discussion also touched on INEOS’s summer transfer misstep, with Saha suggesting that even a high‑profile signing cannot solve United’s systemic issues.
Overall, insiders maintain there are no plans to dismiss Carrick at Utd, emphasizing that the club’s deep‑seated challenges require more than a change of manager.