Michael Carrick is not 'special' & won't bring Premier League title back to Man Utd if made permanent manager, claims Jamie Carragher

Carrick may have endeared himself to the Old Trafford faithful with a morale-boosting 2-0 victory over Manchester City at the weekend, but Carragher believes the former midfielder is not the answer to United's long-term prayers. Speaking on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football, the former Liverpool defender was tasked with whittling down a list of 25 potential candidates to replace Ruben Amorim permanently. While Carrick is currently in interim charge until the end of the season, Carragher wasted little time in crossing his name off the list.

Carragher’s reasoning was rooted in the brutally high standards required to lift the Premier League trophy. He drew a direct parallel between Carrick’s situation at United and Liam Rosenior’s tenure at Chelsea, suggesting neither possesses the elite pedigree to overthrow the league's dominant forces.

"I am not going to change my mind," Carragher asserted, referring to the post-derby hype. "I always think this when a Liverpool manager is appointed: Do I believe this guy can win us the league? It doesn't mean he will do it, but I have to believe he can. I don't believe Manchester United can win the league with Michael Carrick as manager, or Chelsea can win the league with Liam Rosenior as manager."

He continued by highlighting the rarity of title-winning managers: "You have to be really special. Think of the managers who have won the Premier League, 99 per cent of them are special, and I think Michael Carrick lacks that. I might be proven wrong, but that is why I will take Michael Carrick out of that."

After ruthlessly cutting the list, Carragher settled on a four-man shortlist that he believes the United hierarchy should focus on: Julian Nagelsmann, Thomas Tuchel, Luis Enrique and Eddie Howe. Of the quartet, Carragher reserved special praise for current England manager Thomas Tuchel, suggesting the German tactician has the combustible energy required to wake a sleeping giant.

"He still has that energy and drive about him," Carragher said of Tuchel, noting that he has "ruffled feathers" during his time with the Three Lions. The pundit suggested that Tuchel is a manager who would "go to war" for his club, a trait United have arguably lacked since the days of Jose Mourinho. Carragher concluded his analysis with a bold prediction: "I think, if you are Manchester United - everyone will want Luis Enrique - I think there is a good chance they could end up with Thomas Tuchel."

Germany manager Nagelsmann was included for his tactical reputation and having "something to prove," while Newcastle boss Eddie Howe made the cut for his ability to handle the intense media scrutiny that comes with the United job. Paris Saint-German coach Luis Enrique remains the popular choice, though Carragher hinted that securing him might be difficult.

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The segment saw Carragher methodically dissect the credentials of some of the biggest names in world football before discarding them. Jurgen Klopp was the first to go, with Carragher stating firmly that the former Liverpool boss "cannot do that" due to his glorious history with the Anfield club. The same logic was applied to recently-sacked Real Madrid chief Xabi Alonso, whose Liverpool links were deemed an insurmountable barrier.

Other elite names fell by the wayside due to concerns over age, energy, or tactical fit. Carlo Ancelotti, currently the Brazil boss, was dismissed on the grounds that he "wouldn't have the energy and drive to get United up the league." Zinedine Zidane was described as a "younger version" of Ancelotti who specifically "suits Real Madrid" but not the rebuilding project required in Manchester.

Tactical concerns also saw Diego Simeone removed from contention. Despite Thierry Henry’s protestations about a lack of clear "DNA" at United, Carragher insisted that the club must be an attacking side. He argued that appointing the defensive-minded Atletico Madrid boss would "go away from the club's DNA." Similarly, Oliver Glasner was crossed off because of his preference for a back-three system - a formation that Amorim was heavily criticised for during his failed stint at Old Trafford.

The scrutiny extended to managers currently impressing elsewhere in the Premier League. While Andoni Iraola and Marco Silva have drawn plaudits for their work at Bournemouth and Fulham respectively, Carragher felt the leap to the Theatre of Dreams was too significant at this stage of their careers. "The next step for them would be Tottenham," he suggested, indicating they are not yet ready for the unique pressure of the United hot seat.

Roberto De Zerbi was another high-profile exclusion. Despite his tactical acumen, Carragher ruled him out due to his volatile nature, joking that the Italian is "liable to go to war within about six weeks with the owners."

Even Cesc Fabregas, championed by his Como part-owner Thierry Henry as one of the "next big coaches," was crossed off at Henry's own request to protect his colleague. Ultimately, the exercise highlighted the scarcity of truly "special" candidates available to United, leaving them with a narrow pool of elite options to consider once Carrick’s interim reign concludes.