Solskjaer backs Carrick to survive United crisis but admits he wanted the job

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has expressed full confidence in Michael Carrick as Manchester United manager, even as he acknowledged he was considered for the interim role in January and retains a personal desire to return to Old Trafford one day.

Carrick is under mounting pressure after United’s 2-0 defeat by Chelsea on Saturday extended their winless run to nine matches — the club’s worst such streak since 1988. The result leaves United 17th in the Premier League, sitting outside the relegation zone only on goal difference.

Speaking to Norwegian outlet TV2, Solskjaer was unequivocal in his support for his former assistant. “Michael has what it takes to take that club forward,” he said. “I think he’s the right man. He understands the club, understands the fans and knows what’s needed.”

Carrick was appointed interim manager in January following the sacking of Ruben Amorim, a process during which chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox also contacted Solskjaer as an alternative candidate. The Norwegian, who managed United from 2018 to 2021, says he was open to the role but ultimately had reservations about its short-term nature.

“Going back to what has been is not always as good,” Solskjaer said. “Yes, I was lined up, but I didn’t think it would last longer than the summer. It was probably time for someone else to try. I also feel like I have something unresolved. Of course it would have been nice to have the opportunity again.”

Solskjaer added that he actively recommended Carrick during his own conversations with the club. “When I spoke to United, I also boasted about Michael. ‘If you choose him, you will get a good man,’ I said. I think he did the same to me. None of us were desperate to get the job. We’d probably be up for the job if they asked.”

Carrick has since revealed he is in regular contact with both Solskjaer and Sir Alex Ferguson as he attempts to navigate United’s difficult run. He kept his position following crisis talks with club chiefs earlier this week and is expected to be given at least the next two fixtures — against Roma and Aston Villa — before the international break, though his long-term future remains uncertain.

Solskjaer’s appointment of Carrick as his assistant during his own tenure at Old Trafford makes the public endorsement a natural one, but the admission of personal unfinished business adds a layer of complexity to the relationship between the two men and the club they both served.