Man Utd Star Reveals Sir Alex Ferguson ‘Magic' Michael Carrick Has Brought
An awestruck Matheus Cunha compared Michael Carrick's "magic" impact to that of Manchester United's legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson, explaining how the former midfielder's endless stories from the past have inspired the current side's remarkable uptick in form.
Carrick extended his strong record as United's interim with a 3–2 victory over Liverpool on Sunday afternoon to cement the club's spot in third place and guarantee Champions League qualification for next season after a two-year absence.
United were seventh when Carrick took the helm, narrowly beating out Ole Gunnar Solskjær in the race of former players to replace Ruben Amorim. No Premier League club boasts a better record than the Red Devils since the change in coach, prompting many to consider Carrick the favorite for a full-time position once the season concluded.
It has been a staggering turnaround. The exact same set of players which tumbled out of the Carabao Cup second round to fourth-tier Grimsby Town has beaten Arsenal, Manchester City and now Liverpool under the softly spoken 44-year-old. What is his secret? According to Cunha, it's nostalgia.
"When Michael [Carrick] came, he came with magic! Alex Ferguson vibes," the Brazilian gushed after opening the scoring in the weekend's derby win. "He talks so much about his team, the conquering team. This feeling comes to us. We feel so happy with the information, we focus so hard to reach the objective.
"At the end of the day, this is just the start of the journey, it's the beginning-a beautiful beginning!"
How Michael Carrick's Man Utd Stats Compare to Sir Alex Ferguson
| Record After 17 Games | Michael Carrick | Sir Alex Ferguson |
|---|---|---|
| Start Date | Jan. 17, 2026 | Nov. 8, 1986 |
| Wins | 12 | 7 |
| Draws | 3 | 6 |
| Losses | 2 | 4 |
| Goals For | 33 | 22 |
| Goals Against | 19 | 15 |
Carrick spent 12 years as a player at Manchester United, winning every available trophy under Ferguson's legendary watch. Cunha is not the first player to hail Carrick's intangible quality of "knowing the club"-the trait shared by United's most successful manager of the post-Ferguson era, Solskjær-but it would be grossly unfair to boil down his impact to tales from the good old days.
There has been a clear tactical shift under Carrick, with United ditching Amorim's beloved 3-4-2-1 for a more straightforward 4-2-3-1. Players are played in their best positions without the straightjacket of demands from their former manager.
However, the notion that Carrick simply sends the team out is also a misnomer; Bruno Fernandes recently explained how the former midfielder had identified the right half-space as a key area for the playmaker to exploit. It was from this zone on the pitch that Fernandes started the move which led to Benjamin Šeško's goal against Liverpool.
‘Die For Him'-Man Utd Players Give Carrick Vote of Confidence
Few players have benefitted from Carrick's arrival as much as Kobbie Mainoo. The academy graduate had one foot out of the door by the end of Amorim's tenure yet has since signed a new lucrative deal as a nailed-on starter in the new regime. The admiration between player and coach is palpable.
"He's played a huge part in it, all the confidence he gives all the players," Mainoo said of Carrick after Sunday's win. "You want to follow him and fight for him and die for him on the pitch."
Manchester United's hierarchy are not thought to have made a decision on a permanent appointment. Andoni Iraola is reportedly being seriously considered while the dream of Paris Saint-Germain's Luis Enrique has not yet been entirely snuffed out.
Carrick, for his part, refused to be drawn on his future after achieving the one goal set for him upon his mid-season arrival. "Whatever is going to happen is going to happen," he shrugged. Yet, it's clear that the heavy toll of managing Manchester United weighs lightly on the circumspect coach.
"I love doing what I'm doing, it's a great position for me to be, and it feels pretty natural, if I'm totally honest, without being blasé, because it's a difficult role. But I kind of understand what it brings, and to be sat in this position is a good position to be."
If he can continue working his magic with more anecdotes about Ferguson's hairdryer treatment, perhaps Carrick will still be in that position next season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Man Utd Star Reveals Sir Alex Ferguson ‘Magic' Michael Carrick Has Brought.
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This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 6:05 AM.