Michael Carrick's unshackled Man Utd must be considered title contenders after humbling perennial pretenders Arsenal

Indeed, chants of "we're gonna win the league" rang out in the visitors' stand after United's triumph in north London, which was their first away to the Gunners in the Premier League since 2017. It was also Arsenal's first home defeat since May 2024, and the first time they have conceded more than two goals in a league game since December 2023.

The significance of the final result, then, should not be downplayed. A major mentality shift has taken place in the United dressing room. They found themselves 1-0 down when Lisandro Martinez inadvertently put through his own net after Arsenal had dominated for a good half hour, and probably would have buckled from there had Amorim still been on the touchline.

But Carrick did not allow his players' heads to drop. United responded brilliantly, harrying the Gunners into uncharacteristic mistakes at the back - one of which was punished before the interval, as Bryan Mbeumo pounced on a misplaced Martin Zubimendi pass, calmly rounded David Raya, and side-footed the ball into the net. 

Five minutes into the second half, they were in front, with Patrick Dorgu doing his best impression of Tony Yeboah when cracking a brilliant volley in off the crossbar. United continued to look dangerous on the break thereafter, but also seemed to relish every tackle and interception as they defended in numbers to frustrate Arsenal.

Even after the hosts found a scrappy equaliser through Mikel Merino in the 84th minute, Carrick urged his team to push for another goal. The Red Devils were fearless, and Matheus Cunha's remarkable late winner was no less than they deserved. To beat Raya from 30 yards is no mean feat, and Cunha's curling shot was truly unstoppable, reflecting the new confidence surging through the United squad.

This was not the same all-conquering display as United put on in the derby, where they managed seven shots on target and restricted City to zero, while also seeing three goals ruled out. City were fortunate the final scoreline was only 2-0 at Old Trafford and not five or six.

Carrick was well aware that facing Arsenal at the Emirates would be a greater test of his side's resolve, but they passed with flying colours. "It was a tough game for us today. I think we knew that coming into it. It was never going to be the perfect kind of game for us," he admitted. "We’ve been together less than two weeks so we knew coming here we were going to have to draw on many different things to get a performance and a result. It was up and down at times, there's some really good things in the game for us, things we can work on, but the way the boys were, their belief, the confidence and the spirit, everything that came together made me really proud today."

No one embodied that spirit more than Cunha, who was decisive off the bench for the second week running. Carrick made the bold decision to stick with Dorgu on the left wing, which could easily have gone down like a lead balloon, but Cunha was once again chomping at the bit.

"When Matheus came on, I just fancied him to score, to make an impact. Fantastic finish," said Carrick. "He epitomises what, as a group, we've been like this week. He has not started both games, but he's had a real big impact. He's been disappointed not to start, but he's used that in a really good way."

Carrick also opted to stick with Mbeumo upfront over Benjamin Sesko, despite the latter's potential to upset Arsenal from a physical standpoint, and it paid off. Mbeumo stretched and unsettled the Gunners' backline with his pace and awareness. It bodes well that Carrick already has a strong sense of how United can cause maximum damage, and has everyone pulling in the same direction, regardless of whether or not they are selected to start.

Carrick has also sparked an instant improvement in several players, most notably Dorgu. For so long, the former Lecce man looked like a dud signing, having been snapped up for £25 million ($34m) by Amorim last January, managing only one goal in his first 30 appearances.

But the Dane has scored twice in as many games since Carrick's arrival, finally proving his worth after being shifted from wing-back to the left of the attack. "Pat’s been a big player for us over the last couple of games attacking-wise - he’s scored two goals, but in terms of his threat and athleticism and his quality coming in as well," Carrick said after the Arsenal game. "He ended up coming off with a little bit of cramp, hopefully it’s nothing worse. At this stage it’s hard to tell, so we’ll just have to wait and see, but we’re hoping it’s not too bad."

The fact that there is so much concern around Dorgu's fitness underlines how far he's come in such a short space of time. Meanwhile, academy jewel Kobbie Mainoo - unforgivably ostracised by Amorim - also impressed on his second successive start alongside the 33-year-old Casemiro, who has rolled back the years to become a lynchpin for United, Harry Maguire has been colossal at the back, Amad Diallo is exerting more influence higher up the pitch and Bruno Fernandes is again serving as creator-in-chief after being restored to his favoured No.10 berth.

Carrick has not done anything particularly ground-breaking. He has just gone for a 4-3-2-1 that suits United far better than Amorim's perplexing 3-4-3 and put the players in their strongest positions. Now they attack with proper width and verve, and defend in a compact shape; a simple but effective formula for success.

For most supporters, the enduring memory of Amorim will be him fiddling with a magnetic tactics board like a mad scientist during the shocking Carabao Cup loss to Grimsby back in August. The Portuguese overcomplicated everything, and obviously didn't understand the much-debated United 'DNA'. Carrick does, though, and that's why he's commanded instant respect.

Carrick is also a far more composed and hands-on coach than Amorim. His predecessor was honest to a fault, prone to emotional outbursts in front of the media that distracted from the team's efforts on the pitch. 

According to the Manchester Evening News, Amorim sometimes preferred to observe in training sessions, but Carrick is always involved. He has also made sessions shorter and more intense, with a greater focus on individual work, and the players have responded positively.

"Carrick's been brilliant with us, he's brought a fresh energy in, the group's really galvanised," Maguire said to Sky Sports on Sunday. The former United midfielder had a similar effect in his unbeaten three-game stint in the dugout between November and December in 2021, leaving a lasting impression on Fernandes in particular. "He knows how to speak, he knows a lot of football," the former Sporting CP playmaker said at the time. "He was one of the great players that not a lot of people talk about. From what I have seen, he can be a top coach."

In the last five years, Carrick has not done quite enough to make good on Fernandes' prediction, despite a largely encouraging spell at Middlesbrough, but he could be put into the "top coach" bracket if United's resurgence lasts through to May. This doesn't have to be Groundhog Day; Carrick appears better equipped to handle the pressures of perhaps the hottest seat in world football than Solskjaer was, and a flawless finish to the campaign would provide Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEO with incontrovertible evidence of his credentials.

Rooney visited Carrington last week to get a feel for the atmosphere Carrick and his staff have been building before United's "absolutely incredible performance" against the Gunners. "There's a calmness about the place," the Red Devils' record goalscorer said on the latest episode of the Wayne Rooney Show. "You've got all the coaching staff all there watching the under-18s play. And then again, on a Saturday morning, they're all there watching the under-16s play after the training session.

"These are all things which used to happen in the past and it makes a big difference. In my eyes, they have taken a step towards getting the club back a little bit closer to where they used to be when the club was successful. What I saw, not just from Michael, but the other coaches, Johnny Evans as well, is a real calmness and a belief. Michael told me how good the players were and he felt he had to stop the session early because they were that good and he wanted to bottle it up."

Carrick, Steve Holland, Jonathan Woodgate and Evans were all sat in the same section as Wayne to watch his son Kai make his Old Trafford debut on Friday, with the 16-year-old coming on as a substitute in a 2-1 extra-time win over Derby County in the FA Youth Cup. They all recognise the importance of preserving the club's proud youth development record, unlike Amorim, who did not attend a single academy match in his 14-month tenure.

Jose Mourinho was also criticised for appearing to neglect those foundations, and there is a risk it could happen again if they go for another foreign coach, but not with Carrick; he's already acting like a model long-term manager. If INEOS want stability, Carrick may well be the standout candidate to succeed Amorim.

Carrick has given himself a real chance of earning an extended stay, but he can guarantee it by bringing the Premier League title back to Old Trafford. United are still 12 points behind current leaders Arsenal, but Mikel Arteta's side have only picked up two points from their last three games, and the nerves that derailed their previous title bids appear to be setting in.

Arsenal don't have the swagger of champions; they have become far too reliant on set-pieces and their frontline is suffering in open play because of it. Second-placed City are enduring similar struggles in the final third amid a worrying injury crisis, while no one expects Unai Emery's over-achieving Aston Villa to stay the course in third.

All three of those clubs are having to juggle commitments across multiple competitions, too, which gives United a clear advantage. Carrick only has 15 games left to prepare for, and in theory, his team should be fresher than the majority of their opponents. 

Aside from home matches against Aston Villa and Liverpool and a trip to Chelsea, their fixture schedule is also favourable. Another win against Fulham at Old Trafford next weekend could see United emerge as dark horses, with Arsenal facing a tricky trip to an improving Leeds side and City traveling to Tottenham, who have beaten them in three of their last four meetings.

Perhaps privately, Carrick will be taking inspiration from United's class of 1996, who were 12 points adrift of Newcastle after 23 games, but pulled off a miraculous turnaround to clinch the title by four points. Champions League qualification should only be the minimum aim for the Red Devils now that they are back in the top four; they have the quality to push for the ultimate prize.

Although Arsenal are still favourites because of their superior strength in depth, United are gathering momentum. If they can keep up their newfound level and adapt when needed against the so-called lesser teams that play with a low block, anything is possible. Carrick's at the wheel, and so far, it just feels right.