Michael Carrick has revealed he was surprised by how 'together' the Manchester United squad was when he took over as interim manager in January. The 44-year-old was officially confirmed as the club's permanent manager on Friday, signing a contract until 2028 with an option for an additional year.
Carrick has won 11 of his 16 matches in temporary charge, transforming United's season after replacing the dismissed Ruben Amorim. When Carrick stepped in, United sat seventh in the Premier League and had won just one of their previous seven games across all competitions. The revival has secured Champions League qualification for the first time in three years.
Speaking to former United star Wayne Rooney on 'Inside Carrington', Carrick said: 'Do you know what you hope to see? Good people with a willingness to do well. The intentions, loving being here, the intentions to do the right thing. I was probably surprised by how good a group it is in terms of wanting to do well for each other.' He added that the squad's togetherness has been key to their consistency.
Since Carrick's arrival, United have beaten Manchester City, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea and Liverpool. His only prior managerial role was at Middlesbrough, but he previously served as a first-team coach at United under Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Carrick said: 'From the moment that I arrived here 20 years ago, I felt the magic of Manchester United. Carrying the responsibility of leading our special football club fills me with immense pride.' Director of football Jason Wilcox added: 'Michael has thoroughly earned the opportunity to continue leading our men's team.'
