Manchester United may extend Carrick's contract by one year! He emerges as the top favorite for the permanent manager role, surpassing free agent Glasner.

Manchester United has confirmed Carrick will manage the team until the end of this season and has already started searching for a permanent head coach for next season. After a 2-0 victory over Manchester City in his debut match in front of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, lifting the team back to fifth place in the Champions League spots, 44-year-old Carrick has strengthened his case for the future. Rumors suggest that if he can maintain this level of performance, the club might extend his contract by one year to keep him in charge next season.

Carrick’s win against Manchester City not only won over Manchester United fans but also earned admiration from Arsenal supporters, who jokingly said they want to erect a statue of him outside the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal fans might be celebrating prematurely, as their own team was later held to a draw by Nottingham Forest. Moreover, with Manchester United visiting Arsenal next week, a victory could turn London fans to harshly criticize Carrick instead.

At this stage, Sir Jim has not yet identified any clear favorite for the permanent Manchester United manager position, as making premature conclusions might cause the club to miss out on top coaches who could become available around the World Cup period.

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has confirmed he will leave the London club at the end of this season. Among some Manchester United executives, he is seen as an ideal candidate to permanently replace Amolin. His two years coaching in the Premier League have been solid, although a recent 10-game losing streak has somewhat damaged his reputation, especially since one of those losses was to non-league side Macclesfield in the FA Cup!

Last Friday, Glasner announced his departure from Crystal Palace at the end of the season, a decision made well in advance. After the transfer deal for Marc Guehi to Manchester City entered its final stages, Glasner said: "I informed the club months ago that I was eager for a new challenge. During the October international break, I met with Steve Parish, we had dinner, and a long conversation. I told him I would not sign a new contract. We agreed to keep this confidential, and I asked the team to do the same."

This news was actually anticipated and is believed not to have changed Manchester United’s plans. Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano said: "Glasner has announced he will not renew his contract with Crystal Palace and will leave in the summer. Manchester United wants a head coach with Premier League experience, which Glasner fits. He could be one of the candidates for the permanent Manchester United manager role, and I think he is indeed being considered, but it’s still unclear who will be the final favorite."

Current Manchester United manager Carrick declined to comment on his chances of being appointed permanently: "Now is not the time to discuss that. We must be realistic and focus on the present tasks. I came here with my job to do, and it’s not the moment to talk about the future. This won’t change how we work daily or affect our long-term planning and decision-making. The key now is to prepare week by week, match by match, and gradually complete our objectives. We hope to improve for next season, but how exactly we do that remains uncertain; we just have to wait and see."

According to betting odds in the UK, Glasner is the second favorite for Manchester United’s next permanent manager, right behind Carrick. Concerns about Glasner include his lack of experience managing a top club and his preference for a three-center-back system focused heavily on defensive solidity, a style that might face harsh criticism at Old Trafford, similar to what Mourinho experienced.

Napoli manager Antonio Conte mocked former Manchester United managers Ruben Amolin and Ten Hag this week: "Some young coaches nowadays are too arrogant and unwilling to adapt. They see a young striker (Højlund) underperforming but don’t help him improve; instead, they blame him. They constantly complain and point fingers but never self-reflect, because all their success comes from others having prepared everything beforehand."

Therefore, Manchester United’s upcoming managerial choice might also consider the coach’s flexibility, ideally avoiding someone like Amolin who wouldn’t change his favored 3-4-3 system even under pressure from the club president. The current list from English media also includes former England manager Southgate, current England coach Tuchel, Argentine maestro Pochettino, Marseille’s manager De Zerbi, Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola, recently dismissed Real Madrid coach Xavi Alonso, and Germany’s Julian Nagelsmann.