Carrick has 17 games to convince Man United. His first 2 are daunting

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Michael Carrick's start at Manchester United could not be more daunting.

First up is the fierce local derby with Manchester City at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Saturday. Next is league leader Arsenal away.

That's the top two in the standings for a coach barely experienced at this level and taking on a role that increasingly looks like an impossible job after Ruben Amorim last week became the sixth coach or manager to make way since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

Not that Carrick, a man who won the full set of major trophies as a United player, gives the impression of being overawed by the situation.

“I feel in a really good place to be here. It feels very natural, to be honest, very normal,' he said this week. “I understand the job, what it entails and the responsibility of it.”

Carrick had an unbeaten three-game interim spell in charge of United in 2021 but his only long-term experience as a manager was at second-tier Middlesbrough from 2022-25.

He has a contract until the end of the season as United gives itself time to identify candidates to try to end a decade plus of decline. Carrick has the chance to put himself in the frame in the 17 remaining games this term.

City is still in the hunt for four trophies and rolled over Amorim's United 3-0 in September.

Carrick wants to put smiles on the faces of fans who jeered at the final whistle as United was knocked out of the FA Cup by Brighton last week.

“I want to be off my seat (with excitement)," he said. "I want to be enjoying watching the boys play and results obviously need to come with that. You can feel my kind of enthusiasm for it because I’m buzzing to get started and see what we can do.”

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James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

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