• Michael Carrick has agreed to manage Manchester United until the end of the season.
• He replaces Ruben Amorim, who was sacked earlier this month.
• Carrick inherits a team currently seventh in the Premier League, 17 points behind the leaders.
• His first match will be the crucial derby against Manchester City.
• Carrick's previous managerial stint at Middlesbrough included a rapid turnaround but ended in disappointment.

Manchester United have officially agreed to a deal in principle for Michael Carrick to take charge of the Premier League team on an interim basis until the end of the season, according to BBC, Reuters, SCMP, and Al Jazeera. Carrick succeeds Ruben Amorim, who was dismissed earlier this month, and will face an early test with his first match set for the derby against Manchester City.

The 44-year-old inherits a team in turmoil, as Manchester United currently sits at seventh place in the Premier League, a staggering 17 points behind leaders Arsenal and eliminated from both domestic cups. The FA Cup exit following a 2-1 defeat to Brighton has led to speculation about this being one of the club's shortest seasons in history, with only 40 games left to play, according to Reuters and SCMP.

Carrick's previous experience includes a caretaker role at Manchester United in 2021, following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. He had a brief tenure as Middlesbrough’s manager, where he initially made a significant impact by turning around a struggling team. Under his guidance, Middlesbrough achieved a fourth-placed finish in his first season and reached the League Cup semi-finals the following year, reports BBC and Al Jazeera.

Despite this success, Carrick's time at Middlesbrough ended with disappointment as the team failed to gain promotion, finishing eighth and tenth in his last two seasons leading to his dismissal in June last year. United had initially placed Carrick's former teammate Darren Fletcher in temporary charge, but he registered no wins in two matches, including a draw against struggling Burnley, according to Reuters and Al Jazeera.

Carrick's former teammate Wayne Rooney has publicly backed the appointment, claiming, “Michael is a very clever person and he’ll command respect from the dressing room," showcasing optimism from former players about Carrick's capability to restore Manchester United's identity and spirit, as noted by SCMP.