Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher has claimed manager Michael Carrick lacks the stardust required to return Manchester United to the pinnacle of football.
Carrick, 45, was appointed permanent manager at Old Trafford this summer after an impressive interim spell following the sacking of Ruben Amorim in January. The former United midfielder led the team to victories over Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool to secure a third-place finish, returning the club to the UEFA Champions League after two seasons out of Europe's top competition.
Carrick's strong start in the dugout has generated optimism among supporters that United can challenge for their first Premier League title since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. However, former Liverpool defender Carragher urged caution ahead of the 2026-27 season, asserting that United need stability before they can contest major trophies.
Speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, brought to you by Sky Bet, Carragher stressed the importance of calm at Old Trafford. "I'm not saying it's going to go wrong. What Manchester United have had for the last six months, need that for another 12 months of not being the circus, not being the story all the time, and Carrick brings you that," Carragher said.
"But has he got that stardust to win the biggest trophy? And I think you need to get to a strong position of being a proper Champions League club again. And then, right, what do we need? It's like a player gets you to a certain level, then we need that stardust," he added.
"I personally just don't think Michael Carrick's got that stardust as a manager to win a Champions League or a Premier League," Carragher continued. "I don't believe Michael Carrick will win the league or the Champions League with Manchester United, but he's done a really good job. He could have a good season and put Manchester United in a position to then go and get a Champions League-winning manager."
Summer transfer strategy and missed targets
United have moved to strengthen their midfield during the summer transfer window, signing Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa. Carrick spent 12 seasons as a United player, winning five Premier League titles and the Champions League, and is looking to reshape the squad under minority owners Ineos.
However, Carragher argued that United made a mistake by failing to sign former West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes, who has since completed a transfer to Tottenham Hotspur after United baulked at his £85million asking price.
"I was a little bit worried when I saw United linked with Fernandes because I thought that could be a good signing," Carragher said. "I just looked at him and his age and was surprised United didn't go for Fernandes. They said it was too expensive but was it that expensive? I know £85m is a lot but you're never going to get a really top midfielder now for £50m."
Concerns have also been raised that a lack of further transfer business could undermine United's recent progress under the Ineos ownership group as the new season approaches.
Defensive concerns raised by Paul Scholes
Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes also questioned the strength of Carrick's squad, pointing to central defence as an ongoing vulnerability. Scholes, who won 11 Premier League titles during his playing career at Old Trafford, warned that the current defensive options lack the consistency needed to win the league.
"Centre halves are still a problem," Scholes said. "Manchester United still need better centre halves - the current players don't have the quality, where I am judging Manchester United, to go on and win the Premier League. You need centre halves who are reliable every single week."
Scholes highlighted injury issues surrounding Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez. "We've got Maguire who has started to pick up some injury niggles, Lisandro Martinez - the lad just can't stay fit now. When he's fit, he is a good player, don't get me wrong," Scholes explained.
Turning to young French defender Leny Yoro, Scholes suggested the 18-year-old has found the transition difficult: "They've got Leny Yoro who has struggled over the last two years - it looks like the Premier League level is above him and hopefully he might come on a bit this season."
Dutch international Matthijs de Ligt, who joined United from Bayern Munich, has been sidelined since November with a long-term back injury, with no timeline set for his return. Scholes identified the 27-year-old as United's top defender when healthy, but insisted that uncertainty in defence remains a handicap.
"If de Ligt is fit and playing every week, he's possibly Manchester United's best centre-half," Scholes said. "But again, that's a question mark against centre-halves. You can't have those question marks."
