Gary Neville admits he is “absolutely startled” after Michael Carrick won his opening two games as interim Manchester United manager.
Carrick has been placed in charge until the end of the season after United sacked Ruben Amorim.
Carrick beats Man City and Arsenal in stunning United turnaround
Youth coach and former Red Devils midfielder Darren Fletcher oversaw two matches – a Premier League draw at Burnley and an FA Cup defeat at home to Brighton – between Amorim’s dismissal and Carrick’s appointment.
Carrick has done an outstanding job so far, winning both of his first two fixtures against the Premier League’s top two, Manchester City and Arsenal.
Sunday’s win at the Gunners was the league leaders’ first home defeat of the season and came courtesy of goals from Bryan Mbeumo, Patrick Dorgu and Matheus Cunha.
Unsurprisingly, there is already a clamour for Carrick to be given the job on a permanent basis and, if United continue their form, it will be very difficult to snub him.
Neville ‘can’t believe’ Manchester United’s performances under Carrick
Neville previously claimed that there is no way United should consider giving Carrick the job, even if he wins every single game until the end of 2025/26, and he has not gone back on that opinion after two games.
However, he admits he “genuinely can’t believe” the club’s recent performances.
Neville said on the Stick to Football podcast: “I’m absolutely startled at the turnaround.
“We saw a change of manager with Ruben Amorim to go to Darren Fletcher and there was not much difference in terms of energy and strength. Then all of a sudden, from Michael Carrick in those two or three days.
“I can’t believe it. I genuinely can’t believe what I’m seeing.
“Michael Carrick was just about to go into the City game. None of us could have ever imagined that what we’ve seen, we were going to see, surely. No one could have ever imagined that. Nobody would have thought he’d win his first two games.”
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Roy Keane praises new energy and Steve Holland appointment
Neville’s former United team-mate Roy Keane added that there has clearly been a change in energy since Carrick’s arrival and hailed the appointment of former England coach Steve Holland as Carrick’s assistant.
“There’s definitely an energy, a new energy, about the team,” Keane said.
“We weren’t seeing the energy at weekends. The last week or two, you look and go, there’s definitely an energy about them. It’s got nice energy as well.
“I think the timing was perfect. The players were probably ready for a new voice. It’s not necessarily on the new manager. They’re probably just glad to see the last manager go.
“Training might be a bit more intense. It might be shorter. It’ll be all these little tweaks in training.
“Players are back available. We brought Maguire back in.
“You want to have a Holland – he’s worked within England.
“This group of players still haven’t got the trust from me anyway to go, yeah, I expect them to win loads of games over the next one, two, three, four, five seasons competing. So get that balance right.”
