Wayne Rooney, Manchester United's all-time leading scorer, has thrown his full support behind Michael Carrick's bid to become the club's permanent head coach, declaring it's a matter of "when rather than if" the interim boss gets the job.

Carrick's stock has soared after guiding United to a crucial victory over arch-rivals Liverpool on Sunday, a result that secured Champions League football for next season. Since returning to Old Trafford on January 17, no Premier League side has collected more points—a remarkable turnaround that has silenced many doubters.

"In my opinion, it wouldn't be a bad decision," Rooney said on his show. "Michael Carrick is a clever person, he's a really good coach, and I think he can lead the team for however long he wants if he gets it right."

The former United captain addressed concerns about Carrick's experience, particularly with a heavier fixture list ahead. "The one thing we're hearing is that there's Champions League football next season and more games, so how is he going to deal with that?" Rooney said. "He's been in the Championship with Middlesbrough where squad rotation is actually even more difficult than it is in the Premier League. He knows how to do that."

Rooney also challenged the perception that United should look for a bigger name. "If you brought in a Luis Enrique or Thomas Tuchel and they won 10 of their first 14 games, you'd say that's incredible. So just because he's a young, English manager, it means it's not the right place to look in a lot of people's eyes."

With United now enjoying a rare sense of stability, Rooney believes the timing is perfect. "For the first time in a long time, Manchester United seem like they have a bit of calmness around the whole place, and that's a good thing."

As the summer approaches, all eyes will be on Old Trafford to see if Carrick gets the chance to prove he's more than just a caretaker—and perhaps the long-term answer to United's managerial puzzle.