Carrick 'in the box seat' for Man Utd job as his team take a 'big step'
#Michael Carrick#Manchester United#Crystal Palace#Premier League#Champions League qualification#Gary Neville#Old Trafford
📌 Key Takeaways
Michael Carrick extended his unbeaten run to seven games with a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace
The victory moved Manchester United to third place in the Premier League for the first time since May 2023
Gary Neville's pre-match claim that Carrick was 'in the box seat' for the job was validated despite early setback
Carrick has the joint-best points return after nine games of any manager in Premier League history
📖 Full Retelling
Michael Carrick strengthened his case for the permanent Manchester United manager position as his team came from behind to beat Crystal Palace 2-1 at Old Trafford on Sunday, March 1, 2026, extending his unbeaten run in charge to seven games and moving United up to third in the Premier League. The match saw an early setback when Crystal Palace's Maxence Lacroix headed them in front after just four minutes, seemingly contradicting Gary Neville's pre-match assertion that Carrick was 'in the box seat' for the job. Despite a challenging first half where United played their worst football under Carrick, the team showed resilience that had been lacking under previous management, regaining composure before the break and dominating after the restart, especially after Lacroix was sent off in the second half following a VAR review. The turning point came when Bruno Fernandes converted a penalty and then set up Benjamin Sesko for the winner, ensuring United avoided defeat when going behind for the third time since Carrick took over, with the caretaker manager acknowledging it was 'a big step for us' to overcome the early deficit against a tough team.
🏷️ Themes
Manchester United management, Premier League race, Managerial transition
Michael Carrick (born 28 July 1981) is an English professional football coach and former player who is currently the head coach of Premier League club Manchester United. He is known for his 12-year playing career with Manchester United, which he also captained in his final season there. Carrick was ...
# Premier League
The **Premier League** is the highest level of the English football league system and the primary professional association football competition in Great Britain.
### Overview
Contested by **20 member clubs**, the league operates as a corporation in which the teams act as sharehol...
# Manchester United Football Club
**Manchester United Football Club**, commonly referred to as **Man United** (often stylised as **Man Utd**) or simply **United**, is a professional football club based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England. The club competes in the **Premier League**, the to...
Analysis Man Utd take big step under Michael Carrick after Gary Neville claims he is in 'box seat' for permanent job Man Utd moved up to third in the Premier League after coming from behind to beat 10-man Crystal Palace 2-1 thanks to Bruno Fernandes' penalty and Benjamin Sesko's header as Michael Carrick extended his unbeaten run in charge to seven games and strengthened his case for the job full-time Zinny Boswell @ZinnyBoswell Sunday 1 March 2026 18:28, UK Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Highlights from the Premier League match between Manchester United and Crystal Palace. Gary Neville's pre-match claim that Michael Carrick was in the box seat for the Manchester United job looked to have backfired when Maxence Lacroix headed Crystal Palace in front after four minutes at Old Trafford. However, United came from behind to win 2-1 and move up to third in the Premier League for the first time since May 2023 as Carrick extended his unbeaten run in charge to seven games with his sixth victory since succeeding Ruben Amorim. The Sky Sports pundit had warned his former team-mate of the risk Palace posed as United looked to capitalise on Aston Villa's surprise slip at Wolves to strengthen their chances of Champions League qualification. "The run they have been on has been a shock to everybody," said Neville of United pre-game. "Michael would not have expected this in his wildest dreams. "He has to keep it going until the end of the season. Today is a big part of that. These games can trip you up. "Michael is in the box seat for the job. Looking at what is happening now, I think they will qualify for the Champions League." Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Gary Neville believes Michael Carrick is now the leading contender for the manager’s job at Man Utd Report & highlights: Man Utd 2-1 Crystal Palace Live Premier League table | Watch FREE PL highlights Got Sky? Watch Premier League games LIVE on your phone 📱 Not got Sk...
