VIDEO SHOWS: PRESS CONFERENCE WITH MANCHESTER UNITED INTERIM MANAGER MICHAEL CARRICK AFTER MAN UTD'S 2-0 WIN OVER THEIR RIVALS RESENDING WITH FULL SHOTLIST SHOWS: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK (JANUARY 17, 2026) (NICHE MEDIA – Access all) 1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER UNITED INTERIM MANAGER, MICHAEL CARRICK, SAYING: "Yes it is a great start, there's no getting away from that. I think, to be honest before the game, we coaches we spoke and we said the boys are in a good place. We were quite happy with the days how we prepared for it emotionally, where the boys were, the stage we are at the state, leaving the changing room. So I was quite happy with that leading into the game. But then listen, City are an unbelievable team with talent and they can rotate and change things. So there's a plan and then you got to go plan B and C and work around it. So you never really know how the game is going to go for it to pan out like that. The boys were fantastic today I have to say in so many ways and to manage it emotionally with the information we've given them and pulling it together yeah, it was pretty good,." 2. WHITE FLASH 3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER UNITED INTERIM MANAGER, MICHAEL CARRICK, SAYING: "I just think the boys have shown me that they're really willing to listen and learn a lot of. Really? Yeah. As I said, almost desperate. They want it so much and the willingness to take the information on and change things a little bit and the willingness that they're willing to adapt. We obviously put a game plan and strategy together that tried to achieve certain things and everyone played their part in the end." 4. WHITE FLASH 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER UNITED INTERIM MANAGER, MICHAEL CARRICK, SAYING: "Listen I've watched a lot, I came here, we've got season tickets and my family come, so I've come to a lot of games over recent times and you get to know the players in your own eye. Everyone has an opinion and your instincts and then there was a little bit of what it was going to take for today, and we had three days to prepare. So the balance of how much information, what the lads could take on being fair to them to not overdo it. But actually City probably ask you as much questions as anyone could possibly ask, so you got to have the answers to that. So it was a real balance and the coaches I have to say, well, for the last three or four days have shown what, how good they are in terms of how much they give the players with doing it, being quite creative and then the boys taking it on board." 6. WHITE FLASH 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER UNITED INTERIM MANAGER, MICHAEL CARRICK, ON THE FANS SUPPORT, SAYING: "Yes I hope so. I hope so. You know, and I think the players certainly fed off it. The players left the changing room unbelievably desperate to do well, I was almost saying 'don't be too desperate' where you end up, it can cloud your judgment and you make decisions that you because you're emotionally so invested in it. And before they got the balance so right. And the support as well were incredible. And I said yesterday that this can be a magical place and it was so funny things and today to get that feeling is exactly what we want. Hopefully it's just the start. So we need to build on it so we're not getting carried away massively, but we've got to enjoy the feeling certainly when you got it." STORY: Michael Carrick was not getting carried away but after returning some of the missing magic to Manchester United in an exhilarating 2-0 derby win over Manchester City on Saturday (January 17) those who doubt he is the club's saviour might be reconsidering. The former midfielder's second stint as interim manager could not have begun any better as goals by Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu sparked euphoric celebrations at Old Trafford. It was not just the final score — a result that lifted United provisionally into the Premier League's top four — it was the performance that spoke volumes about the impact Carrick has had in just a few days. This was a mauling. City were a distant second-best and, but for three disallowed goals, the woodwork and some heroics by their keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma they would have suffered the worst defeat against their rivals since 1995. Carrick, who was undefeated in his three games as caretaker manager in 2021, answered the call again after the sacking of Ruben Amorim this month and will have until the end of the season to build a case for the permanent post. If Saturday's display, full of attacking verve, defensive tenacity and energy, is anything to go by, the club's owners will surely have an easy decision to make. There have been false dawns aplenty in recent seasons though and Carrick, who won five Premier League titles and the Champions League at United as a cultured midfielder during the trophy-laden era of Alex Ferguson, knows this is just a start. Carrick made five changes to his first line-up from the side that lost to Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend in the FA Cup third round, with Amad Diallo and Mbeumo returning from the Africa Cup of Nations and defender Harry Maguire also back. Significantly he also gave a first league start of the season to England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo. Carrick will get another opportunity to stake his claim next weekend when United take on Premier League leaders Arsenal. (Production: Oliver Regan)
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