What Matheus Cunha said about Michael Carrick when he signed in the summer, as the former midfielder has been sounded out as a potential option to be Manchester United’s interim manager.
Manchester United’s 1–1 draw with Leeds at Elland Road proved to be Rúben Amorim’s final match in charge of the club.
Following the final whistle, Amorim delivered a heated post-match press conference, openly expressing his frustration at the lack of authority he felt within the club. He insisted that he wanted to “be the manager of Manchester United, not the coach of Manchester United.”
Amorim also aimed criticism at Director of Football Jason Wilcox, while making an indirect dig at Director of Scouting Christopher Vivell, stating that both departments “need to do their job.”
Despite earlier public backing from INEOS, the comments were seen as the breaking point, and Amorim was dismissed on Monday morning.
Michael Carrick among interim manager candidates
In the statement that the club released following the sacking of Amorim, they stated that former Manchester United midfielder and current U-18s manager Darren Fletcher would take charge of the team against Burnley.
Reports also emerged that a permanent manager will not be appointed until the summer, so an interim manager will have to take charge until then, and it remains to be seen whether Fletcher is the right man to try and secure European football next season.
As reported by The i Paper, Michael Carrick is among the top contenders to be named the interim head coach until the end of the season.
Carrick has greater experience in management than his former midfield partner, having also been Manchester United’s caretaker manager for three games after Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s dismissal, winning two and drawing one.
His most recent job came at Middlesbrough, where he joined in October 2022, winning 16 from his opening 23 games to lift the team from 21st to a play-off spot at the end of the season. In his second season, he guided the club to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, but was sacked at the end of his third season at the club following a tenth-placed finish.
What Matheus Cunha said about Carrick
Matheus Cunha, who was on the scoresheet for what would turn out to be Amorim’s last game, has been tasked with carrying the side after the injury to Bruno Fernandes, as well as the absence of Amad and Bryan Mbeumo, who are representing their nations at AFCON.
Having scored three in his last five games, he’s proving to his side that he can be relied on to be a match-winner for his new side, which he previously displayed at his previous side, Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he was the talisman in his two-year spell.
Read More: Can Man Utd recall Marcus Rashford this month from Barcelona after Rúben Amorim sacking? Explained
Cunha was the first signing of the summer, joining The Reds after his £62.5 million release clause was activated, signing a contract until 2030.
In his first interview for his new club, Cunha spoke about the Manchester United team he watched growing up, naming the potential new interim manager as one of the players who had a big impact on him when he was a teenager.
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