The writing was on the wall from January 25th, just 12 days after Michael Carrick stepped in as Ruben Amorim's replacement—beating out former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for the interim role. Carrick had already notched a win over Manchester City, but that wasn't new territory; Amorim, Solskjaer, and others had done the same. Despite United's diminished stature, raising their game against their cross-town rivals had never been the problem.
What truly turned heads was the victory at the Emirates against Arsenal, sealed by Matheus Cunha's late strike. That result felt different—the first real sign that Carrick might bring something more substantial to Old Trafford. Over the next three months, the 44-year-old calmly deflected questions about his future: Did he want the job? Had he spoken to the hierarchy? Was he involved in recruitment? Did potential signings need to know who the manager would be next season?
Meanwhile, other candidates quietly fell away. Thomas Tuchel extended his contract with the Football Association, Carlo Ancelotti moved closer to a deal with Brazil (now finalized), and PSG signaled they were deep in talks with Luis Enrique. Even Crystal Palace's Oliver Glasner became entangled in a dispute with his club's ownership, with Palace already suffering an FA Cup upset at the hands of non-league Macclesfield.
Through it all, Carrick kept winning. Four straight victories to start, then six out of seven before a first defeat at Newcastle—a loss United's hierarchy blamed on the players, not the man in the dugout. The home defeat to Leeds on April 13th, however, fell squarely on the manager's shoulders after he erred by starting Manuel Ugarte with Kobbie Mainoo injured.
United's response was emphatic: three consecutive wins against Champions League rivals Chelsea, Brentford, and Liverpool. Those results answered the lingering questions about Carrick's suitability. By this point, key figures in the dressing room—starting with Amad Diallo during the run-in—had rallied behind him. The evidence, as they say, was overwhelming.