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Manchester United interim head coach Michael Carrick has been nominated for the Premier League Manager of the Month title for January 2026.
The club confirmed the shortlist on their website official website. Supporters can vote via the official Premier League poll.
Carrick only oversaw two league games in January following the departure of Ruben Amorim. However, the impact was immediate. United took the maximum number of points from the toughest possible tests.
United’s first win came in the Manchester derby. Carrick aggressively pushed his side up to control the pace. This resulted in a 2-0 win, thanks to goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu.
However, three goals were disallowed due to marginal offside situations. So this shows how comfortable the performance was on a day that felt like a turning point for the team.
Why Carrick was shortlisted
On the other hand, the away trip to Arsenal was chaotic in a good way. United won 3-2 at the Emirates Stadium – again with goals from Mbeumo and Dorgu and Matheus Cunha – against a team that had not lost a single Premier League match at home all season.
These back-to-back wins earned Carrick a place on the four-man shortlist in January. The list includes Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth), Liam Rosenior (Chelsea) and Sean Dyche (Nottingham Forest).
Supporters have until 12:00 GMT on Monday 9 February to cast their votes. The final outcome is determined by a combination of fan polling and a panel of experts.
The winner will be announced on Friday, February 13. Not only does this give Carrick the chance to collect a personal award, but it also allows him to build on his ‘new manager bounce’.
Premier League context for February
Carrick’s transformative start has also made things very interesting at the top of the table. Arsenal is still in the lead after 24 games. Manchester City is close behind. Followed by Aston Villa. Meanwhile, United are currently in fourth place.
However, Chelsea and Liverpool remain hot on United’s heels. Every match is therefore essentially a final in the race for Champions League qualification.
The Red Devils started February with a dramatic 3-2 home win over Fulham. They play Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on Saturday. Then an away match to West Ham United awaits on Tuesday evening.
This nomination for the award is a welcome headline for Carrick, but United really need to build momentum now. If they maintain the standards of the top two and continue to gain momentum, the ‘new manager bounce’ could become a real title claim.
Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images
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