Roy Keane has major concern about Michael Carrick moving forward

Additionally, Carrick has overseen a significant upturn in player form. No player has benefited more from the arrival of United’s former midfielder than Kobbie Mainoo, who celebrated his new long-term contract by producing a magnificent display against Liverpool in which he scored the winning goal.

Bruno Fernandes, whose potentially record-breaking season has seen him climb up the list of United’s all-time assist leaders, has thrived since Carrick moved him further up the pitch, returning him to a position where he is best suited to impact the game.

Do bigger challenges lie ahead?

Former United captain Roy Keane is yet to be convinced by Carrick’s credentials, however, and has voiced his concerns about the challenges that will lie ahead next season should the Englishman land the job on a full-time basis.

Speaking on The Overlap podcast, Keane said: “I can see where they’re coming from. Absolutely. But I’m not going to sit down and think Carrick’s going to get Man United competing in the top next two or three years. I don’t see it.”

“But I’d love to be proven wrong. Yeah, give him a chance to become a great coach at Man United. But he’s been at United a long time, though, right? There must have an idea. Again, he’s been with Mourinho. He’s been with Ole. He’s not managed. They must have an idea if people in the building go, no, he’s got something about him.”

“Would it be his calmness? I think that’s good sometimes. Sometimes we want a manager with emotion. We’ve seen Simeone last night, that’s his kind of trade. I praised Eddie Howe before for his calmness.”

“More maybe off-the-field stuff, working with people above you. Because that’s the biggest challenge of any manager, working with people above you. Has Carrick got that to work with Wilcox and all this? Is he too soft? Recruitment, will he be in charge of all of that? Next year, being in the Champions League. That becomes a challenge.”

Though Keane undoubtedly raises some good points, United’s recent performances have given fans plenty of reasons to be optimistic for the future.

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