Middlesbrough: Michael Carrick, Man Utd update shared following Erik ten Hag sacking | OneFootball

Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick is not in the running to be the next Man Utd boss.

Middlesbrough’s Michael Carrick is not in the running to be the next Man Utd boss after Erik ten Hag was sacked on Monday.

The Red Devils have endured a disappointing start to the season, as they languish in the bottom half of the Premier League, whilst they’re yet to win in the Europa League.

Therefore, pressure had been building on the Dutchman, and a 2-1 defeat to West Ham over the weekend prompted the board at Old Trafford to make a change.

Michael Carrick unlikely to be next Man Utd boss

There has been speculation about who will succeed ten Hag, and one man loosely suggested by some is Carrick.

The Boro chief is a firm favourite at United due to his incredible success with the club as a player.

Carrick made over 450 appearances for the club, during which time he won five Premier League titles, a Champions League, one FA Cup and the League Cup on three occasions.

So, he needs no introduction to the fans, and his appointment would certainly get the majority on side.

However, Football Insider has revealed that Carrick is ‘no longer to be considered among the top targets’ for the vacancy, with a more experienced candidate thought to be preferred.

It has since been reported that Sporting CP boss Ruben Amorim has emerged as the frontrunner, although it remains to be seen whether he will swap Lisbon for Manchester right now.

Michael Carrick has work to do with Middlesbrough

In truth, this is probably the right move for all parties, as whilst Carrick will no doubt have long-term hopes of managing United, he is not yet ready for that jump.

Despite their struggles, the Man Utd job remains one of the biggest in the country, so it would make sense that they would go for someone like Amorim, who has managed in the Champions League and won league titles.

For Carrick, it’s too early in his development, and even though he looks like he could be one of the top young English coaches coming through, he still has a lot to prove at Boro.

The Teesside outfit were excellent under Carrick when he arrived, as they reached the play-offs against the odds, but they couldn’t replicate that last season.

The current campaign has been mixed, with Middlesbrough sitting ninth in the table, and they have struggled for consistent results.

But, Boro are playing well, with the stats showing they have the highest xG in the Championship this season, and they also rank high on other attacking metrics.

So, whilst it hasn’t translated to winning games regularly, it suggests Boro are on the right track, but the only aim for Carrick and his side will be to get into the play-offs, and then they will try to hunt down the top two.