'Still huge problems' - Roy Keane reveals Michael Carrick 'doubts' ahead of permanent Man Utd manager promotion

Speaking on Sky Sports following Manchester United's 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest on Sunday, Keane delivered a blunt assessment of the challenges facing Carrick. While the interim boss has successfully guided the club to Champions League qualification, Keane believes the real work is only just beginning.

“Yeah, he’s been in the driving seat the last few months,” Keane said when asked if Carrick deserves the permanent post. “I’m guessing the remit for him was to get in the Champions League, they’ve done that but there’s still huge problems ahead. Was he still the best option out there? We obviously don’t know what other managers they spoke to. But the fact he was winning football matches… but still huge problems at United. Huge problems.”

Carrick’s stock has risen dramatically since he stepped into the vacuum left by Ruben Amorim in January. A season that appeared to be spiralling out of control was salvaged by the former Middlesbrough boss, culminating in a guaranteed third-place finish.

This resurgence has reportedly convinced the United hierarchy that Carrick is the correct choice to lead the club forward permanently, with an official announcement expected in the coming days.

However, Keane remains wary of backing a continued surge for United. “That’s going to be part of his remit now in terms of recruitment, getting players in, getting some physicality in the middle of the park, stop giving up the amount of goals they’ve been giving, that’s now the bigger picture he’s got to try and fix,” the former United captain added.

The Irishman’s main concern revolves around how Carrick will handle the inevitable periods of turbulence that come with the United job. He questioned whether the appointment is motivated by a desire for stability rather than a pursuit of elite excellence.

“So they’re the big challenges and obviously over the next few months any time they have a little sticky patch, the issue will be, has he got the experience to cope with it?” Keane said.

“He’s managed Middlesbrough previously, he’s had spells at United. He’s got the opportunity and good luck to him, if he does well fantastic. I’ve got my doubts but we’ll wait and see. It seems like a safe decision from the club’s point of view because their previous decision backfired on them. Carrick’s come in and settled everybody down and they’ve won some football matches. To me, it’s the safest decision and sometimes there’s nothing wrong with that.”

While the pundits debate his long-term suitability, Carrick used his post-match speech after the Forest game at Old Trafford to thanks a fanbase that has endured a rollercoaster campaign.

“It’s a huge thank you from me for the support this season,” said the manager. “We enjoy the ups, we enjoy the downs, we support each other. The best thing about this place is the supporters. It’s easy to support and enjoy it when everything’s great. The connection that I’ve felt from the moment I walked into this place, 20 years ago. The challenging times are when we stick together.”