No Manchester United player will be more thrilled by Michael Carrick’s return to management than Bruno Fernandes. The Portuguese playmaker not only served under Carrick during his initial caretaker stint in 2021 but also backed him to reach the pinnacle of coaching. Carrick, who was named United manager until the conclusion of the 2025/26 campaign this month after Ruben Amorim’s exit, previously stepped into a comparable breach when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer departed over four years ago.

Despite overseeing just three matches before Ralf Rangnick assumed control, Carrick swiftly boosted spirits at Old Trafford, delivering impressive wins against Villarreal and Arsenal. Following the Arsenal win, Fernandes sprinted directly to Carrick for an embrace before heaping praise on him during his post-match media duties. “Honestly, for me, Michael can be a really good manager in the future if he gets that chance,” the now 31-year-old said in 2021. “He knows how to speak, he knows a lot of football. He was one of the great players that not a lot of people talk about. For what I have seen he can be a top coach.”

Those remarks now appear almost prophetic, with Carrick installed at United, though only temporarily. They have made it two wins from two against first and second place in the Premier League table. Carrick said after masterminding a victory away at league leaders Arsenal: “Massively proud. To come here and score three goals in the manner we did. Going one down, coming back, then the setback, and still keeping going – it was a huge moment for us.

“The boys had to put an awful lot in today. It probably didn’t come as easy as it did last week. Last week, the time, the flow of the game and the momentum was with us pretty much throughout, whereas today we had to dig deep. It was a massive effort and I’m really proud of them.”

Carrick’s managerial journey began properly when he took charge at Middlesbrough in 2022. He swiftly steered the club clear of Championship relegation danger by securing victory in 16 of his opening 23 matches and concluded the campaign with Boro reaching the play-offs. They were, however, defeated by Coventry in the semi-finals.

During his second term at the Riverside Stadium, Carrick narrowly missed the play-offs, claiming eighth position, though he did lead the side to the League Cup semi-finals – their first appearance at that stage since claiming the silverware in 2004. Twelve months on, he was dismissed following another failed play-off push, with the team finishing in 10th place.

Nevertheless, he gained considerable plaudits for the progressive, attacking style of play his team demonstrated during his spell in charge. That standing may well have proved decisive when United were seeking a new head coach, particularly as the club were simultaneously holding extensive discussions with Solskjaer.

Carrick eventually secured the appointment – and, mirroring his impact at Middlesbrough, wasted no time in making his presence felt. In his opening fixture back, he orchestrated a commanding 2-0 triumph against Manchester City, attracting substantial praise for his tactical approach.

And he followed that up with a 3-2 win at the Emirates as United became the first team to beat Arsenal at their home stadium this season. The scoreline was ironically the same as it ended in 2021, when United beat the Gunners 3-2 at Old Trafford.