Man Utd finish third and make Michael Carrick permanent manager

In May 2026, Manchester United ended the Premier League season in third place, a finish that brought them back into the Champions League, Europe's top club competition.

The result capped a turnaround under Michael Carrick, the former United midfielder who took charge on an interim basis in January 2026 after the club dismissed Ruben Amorim. Over 16 league games Carrick oversaw 11 wins, three draws and two defeats, lifting a team that had been struggling for consistency.

With qualification secured, the club rewarded him by removing the interim tag. United confirmed Carrick as permanent manager on a two-year contract running to the summer of 2028, according to reports at the time.

The appointment mattered because United had changed managers repeatedly since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, and had missed European football's top tier in recent seasons. Carrick, a popular figure among supporters from his playing days, was seen as a safe, unifying choice. Later coverage of his tenure looks back on this moment as its high point.