Carragher doubles down on brutal Carrick verdict as Man Utd boss lacks ‘an X-factor of stardust’

Jamie Carragher insists Man Utd head coach Michael Carrick lacks “an X-factor of stardust” that it takes to deliver sustained success at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils were struggling under Ruben Amorim before Carrick picked them up in the second half of last season to turn around their fortunes.

Carrick took over as interim head coach and steered Man Utd to a third-placed finish and qualification for this campaign’s Champions League.

That landed Carrick the job on a permanent basis and the former Middlesbrough boss has had a mixed start to the new season at Old Trafford.

Man Utd have won one, drawn one and lost one of their first three Premier League matches, while they beat Sabah 4-0 in their first Champions League match on Thursday night.

Carragher claimed in his Daily Telegraph column earlier this week that Carrick is an “interim solution” while Man Utd wait to appoint “super coach”.

And now Carragher has doubled down on his brutal verdict this week as the Liverpool legend told talkSPORT that he doesn’t think Carrick is up to bringing long-term success to Man Utd.

Carragher said on talkSPORT: “I don’t think Manchester United will win a league title or a Champions League with Michael Carrick.

“I’ve said that openly, but I think it’s right that he’s got the job right now. His results are fantastic.

“And I just think Manchester United right now, on the back of last night, back in the Champions League, Manchester United need to become a regular team in the Champions League again.”

Carragher continued: “The way management is now, we see a lot of managers and we put them in boxes – they’ve almost got a style of football, or we look back at what they’ve done at the previous clubs.

“And more often than not, what they’ve done at previous clubs has got them the big job. You can see that with most of the clubs this season.

“But Michael Carrick’s journey was different and how he got the job was different.

“I just think people on the outside of Manchester United, whether it’s journalists or fans of other clubs, probably don’t buy into the fact that he is the guy or the man to get Manchester United.”

Carragher added: “I think what Michael Carrick has done, and to his credit, is he’s had great results, and he’s stopped Manchester United almost being a bit of a circus that they have been for the last few years.

“He’s calmed everything down. And will he be the guy who takes them to that next step? Really, I don’t quite see that.

“But that’s not a criticism. I think he’s done fantastic since he’s come in. And I think if Manchester United get Champions League football again this season, that would be a really good season.”

The Liverpool legend went on: “You can see by the way, he gets questioned after games – that journalist trying to put him on the back foot on the back of one defeat at Hull saying there wasn’t enough passion. I’ve seen someone pushing him after the Ipswich game.

“That wouldn’t happen, I don’t think, to someone who had a big CV or had come with a big reputation or doing trophies at another club.

“He’s got the job on the back of being an ex-Manchester United player, and he’s done brilliantly.

“But when you think of guys who win the Champions League or win the Premier League, they’ve probably done more in their managerial careers before.”

Carragher reckons the Man Utd head coach is missing “an X-factor of stardust” that other world-class coaches have, pointing to some recent press conferences.

He added: “What he’s done so far as a manager is title-winning form.

“But I think the managers who win the biggest trophies, they’ve got an X-factor of stardust – Michael Carrick’s still got to prove that he’s got that.

“He’ll still be seen by people on the outside as the guy who, before Manchester United, got sacked at Middlesbrough.

“That’s just the nature of the game.”