Manchester United confirmed Michael Carrick as interim manager until the end of the season on Tuesday, tasking him with leading the Red Devils back into the Champions League.
“Having the responsibility to lead Manchester United is an honour,” said Carrick, 44, who won 12 major trophies in his 12-year playing career at United.
The former midfielder previously had an unbeaten three-game stint as caretaker boss at Old Trafford in 2021.
Carrick then took on his first permanent managerial role at second-tier Middlesbrough in October 2022 and was sacked in June last year after the club finished 10th in the Championship.
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He has a daunting first task, preparing his men to face local rivals Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday.
United are seventh in the table but are in the race to qualify for the lucrative Champions League for the first time in three seasons.
The Red Devils are three points adrift of fourth-placed Liverpool and only one point behind Brentford, in fifth spot.
A top-four finish would guarantee Champions League qualification and top five is likely to be enough thanks to the strong performance of English sides in European competition.
“I know what it takes to succeed here; my focus is now on helping the players to reach the standards that we expect at this incredible club, which we know that this group is more than capable of producing,” added Carrick.
“There is still a lot to fight for this season, we are ready to pull everyone together and give the fans the performances that their loyal support deserves.”
The Red Devils dismissed Ruben Amorim last week after a dismal 14-month stint at Old Trafford for the Portuguese.
But hopes of an immediate bounce were dashed, with caretaker boss Darren Fletcher overseeing a 2-2 draw against lowly Burnley in the Premier League and a 2-1 defeat to Brighton in the FA Cup.
Safe pair of hands
United’s exit from both domestic cup competitions at the first hurdle, plus a lack of European football, means they will play only 40 matches this season — their lowest number since the 1914/1915 campaign.
Carrick’s experience at United both as a player and coach are understood to have convinced the club’s hierarchy that he is the safe pair of hands they need over the coming months.
“Michael is an excellent coach and knows exactly what it takes to win at Manchester United,” said the club’s director of football Jason Wilcox.
“He is ready to lead our talented and determined group of players for the remainder of the season as we continue to build the club towards regular and sustained success.”
After spells at West Ham and Tottenham, he moved to United, winning five league titles and the Champions League in a 12-year stay.
When his playing career came to an end in 2018, Carrick joined the United coaching staff as an assistant to Jose Mourinho and then Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Following Solskjaer’s dismissal five years ago he briefly took charge of the first team, securing impressive results against Chelsea, Arsenal and Villarreal.
However, his time at Middlesbrough ultimately proved a disappointment.
Armed with one of the biggest budgets in the Championship, they reached the play-offs in his first season in charge, losing to Coventry over two legs in the semi-finals.
Boro finished eighth and 10th in Carrick’s two full campaigns in charge and he was sacked at the end of last season for failing to achieve promotion back to the Premier League.