Carrick can provide platform for next Man Utd boss, says Neville

Gary Neville said that Michael Carrick's aim during his temporary tenure in charge of Manchester United should be to leave the club in the best position for the next head coach.

Carrick was named as United's boss until the end of the 2025-26 season and started his reign in style as he oversaw the Red Devils' 2-0 win over Manchester City on Saturday. 

Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu struck within the space of 11 second-half minutes to send Old Trafford into raptures, and move United to within a point of fourth place. 

Indeed, Carrick remains unbeaten as United's manager (P4 W3 D1) following his caretaker stint back in 2021, and his team delivered a brilliant display against their rivals. 

United registered an expected goals (xG) total of 2.27 from their 11 shots, seven of which were on target, while restricting City to 0.45 xG from their seven attempts. 

And despite his delight over the manner of the win, Neville was not getting carried away by Carrick's start in the dugout, but was keen to look at the bigger picture. 

"It is not a time to get giddy or carried away," said Neville. "Michael Carrick has laid a foundation today for the next four months.

"And if he can continue to lay that foundation here with that level of performance for the next four months, the person who picks up the baton can be in a good place.

"Ralf Rangnick came, it didn't quite happen in terms of that handover. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer came in and then got given the job.

"Michael Carrick's got to hand that baton over in good shape, and that is an unbelievable start for him."

Neville also praised the performance of United captain Bruno Fernandes, who was deployed in a more familiar attacking midfield role having played deeper under Ruben Amorim.

Fernandes teed up Mbeumo for the opening goal in the 65th minute. Only in 2020-21 (12) and 2024-25 (10) has the Portugal international recorded more assists in a Premier League season than his nine this term.

He also finished the contest with team-high totals for final third entries (12), chances created (six), touches (65), total passes (46) and passes into the final third (29). 

"That's where he's got to play, be near to goal, be where you can hurt them, because he's a great player," Neville said of Fernandes' display. 

"We don't want to see him back in a midfield two in front of a back three. Is that where we want to see him? No, it's definitely not right.

Neville believed that United's display also reminded him of the club's DNA, one that was instilled at Old Trafford during his playing days under Sir Alex Ferguson. 

"I just saw so many things that reminded me of what this club plays like, what their DNA is, what they should be," Neville added. 

"I've always said Manchester United's system is such.

"You have a forward, and then you have a No 10, it can be [Dwight] Yorke, it can be Cantona, it can be [Wayne] Rooney, it can be [Carlos] Tevez, it can be [Dimitar] Berbatov.

"Those players that just drop in off a striker, Scholes did it for a number of years.

"We've always had that most talented player close to our striker and feeding them, and that's what made me a little bit emotional on that goal."