Their narrative arc is related. You cannot speak of Kobbie Mainoo and not mention Michael Carrick. If Mainoo can dream of times like these, it is because in him Carrick trusts. Manchester United may take their time to decide on Carrick as a fulltime head coach (more on that later) but Mainoo’s new five-year deal is one of the few things in recent memory that the club has got right.
A giant leap
And it showed on Sunday. From no starts under Ruben Amorim in 2025-26 and no Premier League goal in nearly two years to the winner against Liverpool is proof of why trying to shoehorn players into a system does not work. On way to unleashing the shot before Domink Szobiszlai could slide in a tackle, Mainoo ran a few small steps that felt like a giant leap from rejection to redemption.
Against Liverpool, Mainoo, 21, had the most successful passes (48), regained possession seven times both more than any other player on the pitch. And he covered 11.1km. He also had an excellent game against Chelsea. Months earlier, the 21-year-old had asked to be loaned for more game time.
There will be more than one reason for this turnaround after an injury earlier this year. He has worked really hard to overcome a difficult period, says Diogo Dalot. Brilliant attitude, especially when he was left out, was what stood out for Daniel Sturridge. Being an England player who has played big games life on the bench cannot be easy, said Sturridge. It could leave the player thin on confidence but that didn’t happen with Mainoo, he said.
Most players his age are scared to make decisions, said Thomas Tuchel. “But he is playing like he’s been doing it for years. It’s so hard to pressure him. He made so many tackles and blocked many shots.”
The “lift” from Carrick
But had Carrick, a midfielder who played for Manchester United and England with distinction, not believed in the player born in Manchester and who came through the club’s academy, nothing written in the paragraphs above would have mattered. Carrick’s done that for Casemiro and what a season he’s been having. From being told to leave football before football left him, the Brazil star is being asked to stay on for at least another season. By the fans and by Eric Cantona, also a fan.
Carrick’s done that for Bruno Fernandes by getting him to play in a more forward position. Result: over 50 chances created in 14 league games. Amorim’s rigidity with 3-4-2-1 didn’t allow this because United did not have the players for that. The idea looked good on paper but on the pitch, the team was confused, said Thierry Henry. “At Manchester United, what I saw was a team constantly thinking instead of reacting. And when players start thinking too much, especially in the Premier League, you lose speed not just in legs, but in decision-making.”
Amorim’s formation also meant that Fernandes had to play alongside Casemiro because Mainoo was ignored. Yes, Mainoo may still struggle to recover but now he knows Casemiro will have his back.
“New manager comes in, the players get the lift they needed and then, Champions League football next year (after two years),” said Dimitar Berbatov. Under Carrick, appointed till the end of the season, United have beaten City, Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea and Liverpool. Roy Keane said the impression he got is that Carrick gets along well with everyone. And has been able to create a changing room that smells of team spirit. “We want a team to be proud of, and the boys have certainly gave us that,” said Carrick. Take Carrick’s 14 matches in charge (10 wins, 2 draws and 2 defeats) and with 32 points, United would have been champions.
Carrick has said he feels like a natural in what is a difficult job. He gets the club, a point United may have missed in most of their appointments, interim and permanent, since Alex Ferguson. To be sure, he is a frontrunner for the job. But it is also true that his ability has not yet been tested. This was the fewest games United have played in a season over a century. How will he cope with the Champions League and all domestic competitions simultaneously? Manchester United have hurried to appoint a successor and it has not gone down well.
Giving him the job now would be like the FA extending England coach Tuchel’s tenure. What happens if England fail at the World Cup? What if Manchester United can lure Luis Enrique away? Or any of the top coaches who will be available after the World Cup? Carlo Ancelotti?
