Despite an impressive start to life at Old Trafford, there is still one attribute that Michael Carrick will need to show in order to put himself in good stead for the permanent Manchester United job.
Michael Carrick has managed to turn around the hopes of Manchester United’s season since the turn of the new year, with his side accumulating 16 points from a possible 18 in the Premier League.
This recent run of fine form has left the Red Devils fourth in the league standings, only three points behind Aston Villa, who they will face on Sunday, March 15.
Carrick’s most recent victory came on Monday night, as his side managed to down a resilient Everton side, thanks to yet another Benjamin Šeško goal, who came off the bench to score for a third time in four games.
Carrick has already managed to put his side in good standing for a UEFA Champions League spot, although this article will highlight one attribute that he needs to show if he is to earn the job permanently.
Carrick needs to be versatile
Since arriving at the helm of the United team, Carrick has undoubtedly done an excellent job, but in order to warrant being offered the job permanently, he may need to show more versatility.
Aside from Patrick Dorgu and most recently Lisandro Martinez, who have both been sidelined through injury, United’s lineup has remained completely unchanged throughout all six of Carrick’s matches in charge.
Although this isn’t a bad thing by any means, as managers should never fix what isn’t broken, United’s new interim manager may need to reward his young talisman, Šeško, with a start against Crystal Palace.
This fixture against the Eagles could be a massive test for Carrick if he is to start the Slovenian forward, as it will show whether he is comfortable with changing up his starting XI.
Rotation important for Carrick
As for this season, chopping and changing the United XI is by no means necessary, due to the Reds only having a 40-game season to deal with.
The problem may come later down the line for Carrick, if he is to earn his side a spot in the UEFA Champions League, as United’s fixtures would become far more congested, forcing him to rotate his side.
If Carrick can show that he is comfortable with rotating his side now, whilst maintaining his side’s positive form, then it may further bolster his case to become the United manager permanently.
There is no doubt that, if Carrick can earn his side a top-four finish, then many will demand that he earn the job, but showcasing the necessary ability to rotate would only further help him in his audition at the Theatre of Dreams.
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