ROY KEANE still wouldn’t give Michael Carrick the Manchester United job despite him beating Pep Guardiola AND Mikel Arteta as interim boss.
Carrick, 44, has an astonishing record standing in for United and has now got wins over Pep, Arteta (twice), Unai Emery, and Thomas Tuchel in his five matches in charge.
This one, a 3-2 victory over Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday evening, was as dramatic as any.
United came from behind to go 2-1 up and surprise Arsenal, securing a surprise late win through Matheus Cunha with three minutes to go.
Arsenal had hit back with a scrappy Mikel Merino equaliser when their home fans had started to turn only for Cunha to go one better than Patrick Dorgu with a second brilliant strike.
The result means that Carrick has six points from six since replacing Darren Fletcher in the dugout earlier this month.
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But the former United midfielder hasn’t done enough to get the gig full-time.
Speaking after the match on Sky Sports, Keane was asked if they should make a move to get him in permanently NOW.
Keane replied in typically blunt fashion, saying: “No, you’re being silly now.
“He’s had two great performances but anybody can win two games.
“It’s what he does until the end of the season and even if they do get into fourth I still wouldn’t be convinced he’s the man for the job, absolutely not.
“They need a bigger and better manager but he’s got the opportunity.
“What a chance it is for him and you know what, he’s taken it. Fair play to him.”
Carrick took over in 2021 when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked but it was only a temporary fix before Ralph Ragnick came in.
This time, United have Carrick in the Ragnick role until the summer, where they plan to appoint a long-term head coach.
Having been a popular figure at Old Trafford as a player and also a well-rated young boss at Middlesbrough before being sacked last year, there is already talk of Carrick making the step up to United properly.
He set his side up to stun City last week and did the same in north London against table toppers Arsenal, creating plenty of chances over the two games.
Fletcher, the caretaker before Carrick, drew to Burnley and lost to Brighton in his only matches.
Ruben Amorim won just two of his final seven in charge.
It was his public venting at United’s decision makers which drew the sack from Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co but the club’s top four/five hopes also plummeted.
They are now five unbeaten in the league – the longest run of any team across the division – and have risen above Liverpool and Chelsea into the crucial fourth spot.
United are still eight points behind Aston Villa in third and only four ahead of Fulham in seventh.
Brentford, Newcastle, and Sunderland are one further back with six points separating 11th from the Champions League places.
Keane, though, believes United can make a real play to get back to Europe’s top table.
He said: “It does [look like a team transformed], obviously, and Harry [Maguire] makes a good point that a lot of players are back now.
“There’s a full group and they’ve got full weeks. There’s no other distractions.
“They can focus on the league form and as we know, if you win one or two games for Manchester United, fantastic.
“Especially when you beat City and come to Arsenal where I felt United would get a result today.
“I was thinking more of a draw but I felt United would turn up. They’ve got enough quality players that if they get that momentum in their season.
“Now you’re looking at United and thinking: ‘Great chance of top four.’
“One or two months ago you’d say: ‘No, I don’t think they’ll do it.’
“But if they play with that confidence and belief then you give the manager credit and you give the staff credit.
“And the players are turning up, simple as that.”
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