Will 'Carrick's Adventures' have a sequel?

X is worthy of leading MU in the long term.

How does a new manager of a major club begin their job? Traditionally, this involves selecting opponents for summer friendly matches; signing players, or at least having a significant say in recruitment decisions; and organizing pre-season training.

In his role as interim manager, Michael Carrick has been doing things like this for the past few weeks. He claims to have "had a say" in Manchester United's contract extension with veteran Harry Maguire. He negotiated with the club's leadership and developed plans for pre-season friendlies. And because Manchester United had been given (or "forced") to take such a long break before returning to the Premier League in round 32, Coach Carrick even organized a training trip (to Ireland) in recent days.

Photo: AFP

Almost a month has passed since MU last played – it feels like they're on summer break rather than facing a crucial stage of the season. Therefore, many are eagerly awaiting the MU - Leeds match early tomorrow morning (2 AM on April 14th) to see the new look of Carrick's team. This could also be a clue to answering the important question that MU fans have been waiting for: Does Carrick deserve his long-term contract as MU's head coach?

From owner (a football expert) Jim Ratcliffe to the Manchester United directors, everyone has been silent since they appointed Carrick as interim manager. Many commentators, or former Manchester United figures like former player Roy Keane, asserted that Carrick would never be offered a long-term contract. But Manchester United under Carrick has played increasingly well. And increasingly, Carrick has shed his image as a "firefighter." His sound tactics, effective playing style, and concrete on-field results have been convincing, and currently, Manchester United has firmly established itself as a contender for a Champions League spot next season. The Manchester United leadership is under immense pressure to quickly appoint a permanent manager, should Manchester United secure a Champions League qualification.

P MUST WIN AGAINST LEEDS, BECAUSE IT'S THE OPPORTUNITY.

Of course, Manchester United's excellence under Carrick will only be confirmed when they officially finish the season in the top 5 of the Premier League. Their remaining journey will begin with a home match against Leeds in the last game of round 32. A draw wouldn't necessarily be a defeat. However, Carrick's team has only one goal: to win. This is a matter of timing.

The first leg at Leeds ended in a draw. If MU doesn't win this time, it will be the first time in over 30 years that Leeds haven't lost to MU in both legs of a Premier League match – a truly rare occurrence.

As everyone knows, Manchester United's attacking trio of Cunha, Benjamin Sesko, and Bryan Mbeumo is worth watching this season. This trio only works effectively when captain Bruno Fernandes plays as a "number 10" midfielder, frequently creating chances. To maximize Fernandes' creative passing, MU needs to allow him to focus on attacking, meaning a solid defensive midfield partnership behind him is essential. Coach Carrick made a decisive decision on this: deploying Kobbie Mainoo and Casemiro in midfield. This meant dropping one central defender. And that's the whole difference between Carrick's 4-2-3-1 MU and Ruben Amorim's previous 3-4-2-1. Everything fell into place, and MU played better than they had in many years.

Both midfield trio Casemiro, Mainoo, and Fernandes, as well as attacking trio Cunha, Sesko, and Mbeumo, are ready to play. That's enough to conclude that the home team, Manchester United, is clearly superior and could beat Leeds, allowing manager Carrick to continue making a name for himself.