Michael Carrick is in the flow! Man Utd boss doesn't need holiday despite intense period at Old Trafford

Carrick has exceeded expectations since taking charge of United following Ruben Amorim’s January departure. Initially appointed for the remainder of the campaign, the 44-year-old has overseen a major improvement in results and performances during a turbulent season.

United secured a third-place finish and qualification for the Champions League under Carrick, prompting the club to hand him a new contract until 2028 ahead of the final game of the season against Brighton. The achievement completed a sharp turnaround after concerns earlier in the campaign that United could miss out on Europe’s top competition.

Carrick admitted family commitments have prevented him from planning time away this summer, with his children currently focused on exams. He also elaborated on his passion for the role and his ability to handle the workload of a Premier League manager.

"It's the kids' exams that are getting in the way at the moment. A-levels and GCSEs, to be honest, that's stopping me from booking anything," Carrick said, as quoted by the club's official website.

"To be honest, no. I feel good, I think you get in the rhythm of working, really, of different ways. I'm sure you have different hours to what I do, some of you work more than others, I'm sure you do. You get used to it, you get into the flow of it. I've loved it, I've loved every minute of it, so I certainly don't feel that I need a break."

Despite already achieving their main objective, Carrick has insisted there will be no complacency against Brighton, who are still fighting to qualify for European competition next season. The manager wants United to maintain high standards in their last league match.

"We're certainly conscious of the situation of the game and what's at stake," he told reporters. "I think we've certainly got a responsibility for that. We've managed to put ourselves in a position where we kind of are the position that we are in the league."

"And I've said we wanted to finish strong for ourselves as much as anything. We're approaching the game as we would any other game. There's a lot to play for, for Brighton, for Bournemouth, for all the other clubs surrounding that, so we're well aware of that."

United can now begin planning for the 2026-27 campaign with Champions League football secured. Carrick’s immediate priority will be ending the season strongly against Brighton before attention turns fully towards recruitment and pre-season preparations.

The challenge next season will be maintaining the momentum built during the final months of this campaign. Expectations at Old Trafford will rise quickly after Carrick’s impressive start, particularly with United returning to Europe’s biggest competition.