Former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke has admitted that he is unsure whether re-appointing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer or Michael Carrick as interim manager is the right move for Manchester United.
On Monday morning, Ruben Amorim was dismissed as manager of Manchester United after an explosive post-match interview following the 1-1 draw at Elland Road. The decision came as a shock to the fanbase, but an internal fallout with Jason Wilcox led to Darren Fletcher taking charge for the next match against Burnley.
The trip to Turf Moor resulted in another missed opportunity for United to progress up the table, with Fletcher’s side drawing the game 2-2. It has been confirmed that Fletcher will be in charge for the next match, a third round FA Cup tie against Brighton, but it is so far unclear who the manager will be for the Manchester Derby.
Reports have now placed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick as the frontrunners for the job as interim manager. It is understood that Ruud van Nistelrooy is also a candidate for the club, having previously served as caretaker manager following the sacking of Erik ten Hag in 2024.
Rather than working together, it seems most likely that one of Solskjaer or Carrick will take charge for the remainder of the season. This has led to a lot of discussion and debate around who is best suited to the role. Recently, former United striker Dwight Yorke has expressed his opinion on the situation, which agrees with a point many fans are alluding to.
Yorke ‘not sure’ about Carrick and Solskjaer
The two leading candidates have emerged as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick, who previously worked together as Manager and Assistant Manager at United between 2018 and 2021.
It was suggested that this could be the case once again, but reports from Sky Sports’ Rob Dorsett this week stated that it now looks “increasingly unlikely” that the pair will be asked to work together for the remainder of the season.
Speaking on beIN Sports during coverage for the Arsenal vs Liverpool match on Thursday night, Dwight Yorke was asked about the managerial situation at United.
“It’s a difficult one,” Yorke said.
“The reason why I say this is because you’ve got Solskjaer who’s been in charge. Carrick was under him and you’ve got [Kieran] McKenna, who is the Ipswich manager, who did most of the coaching stuff.
“Carrick has gone off to be a manager, so now you’ve got two heads wanting to be manager, and you’re trying to bring them back together. I’m not sure that is going to work.
“This is my opinion. McKenna, who was actually the coach. I think these guys [Solskjaer and Carrick] don’t really do the session. They more manage, so that becomes even more a problem for both of them. They’ve got to go find a coach. McKenna used to do the brunt of the work: putting in the team schedules, scheduling the session. That’s McKenna. That’s why he is the coach.
“I’m not sure these two guys can do that, so they’ve got to go and find somebody and they’ll probably go back to an old school person again, which is what we are trying to get away from.
“There are a lot of things going on and I don’t think this works. In my opinion, I don’t think either would suit.”
Why are these ex-players being targeted by INEOS?
After sacking Ruben Amorim, Darren Fletcher was promoted from u18s Manager to First Team Caretaker Manager for the time being. With Solskjaer, Carrick and van Nistelrooy among other targets to lead the team for the rest of the season, it is clear that INEOS want a coach who understands the fabric of Manchester United.
Throughout Amorim’s reign, the Portuguese was continuously targeted by the media and ex-players who criticised his system and style of play. Since his sacking, it seems the club have dumped the majority of the blame for their recent failure on Amorim, with the media pushing a narrative that suggests the manager was sacked due to results, which is clearly not true.
The 2-2 draw against Burnley demonstrated the same issues that we have seen all season, but the team set up with a back four, in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Now, the board want a coach who fits the ‘United DNA’. This is the same board that is led by Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada, both formerly of Manchester City.
INEOS made the decision to remove Ruben Amorim after the comments he made against the club in his post-match interview of the Leeds game last week. Reports have suggested there was recently a fallout between Amorim and Sporting Director Jason Wilcox, and the aftermath has showed where Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s loyalties lie.
Read more: How Ole Gunnar Solskjær feels about Manchester United return amid growing Rúben Amorim pressure
The kneejerk reaction has left the club with no plan and many players still have uncertain futures, especially during a transfer window before the World Cup. Instead of hiring externally for this role, the club will seemingly appoint a familiar face, one which will not be demanding or challenging.
As well as this, an ex-player will bring a bounce with them. The fans will forever support one of their own and smiles will return to faces, as seen before during Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s interim period. However, will this remove the real issues at the club, or will it just paper over the cracks again?
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