How Michael Carrick compared to Man Utd’s other bosses since Sir Alex Ferguson

Following a successful stint on an initial deal until the end of last season, Carrick had the best winning percentage of any permanent boss in United’s history.

But three wins in 15 games this season saw him plummet down the rankings of permanent managers at Old Trafford since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

Here, the Press Association looks at Carrick’s record compared to his predecessors:

Carrick’s record

– United won 12 out of 17 games last season under Carrick – a 70.1 per cent win rate, which saw him comfortably sit with the best record of permanent Old Trafford managers.

– But he leaves with a record of 15 wins in 32 matches – a rate of just 46.9 per cent, which leaves him only ahead of Ruben Amorim, the man he replaced in the dugout last season, in the years since Ferguson’s retirement.

– Carrick has overseen three wins in 15 matches this campaign (20 per cent). They won eight out of 21 games before Amorim’s sacking last year (38.1 per cent).

– His drop-off brings echoes of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The former United striker’s win percentage fell from 73.7 per cent as interim manager (14 wins in 19 games) to 51.7 per cent having been appointed on a permanent basis (77 out of 149).

– Carrick had three games as caretaker boss after Solskjaer’s departure, wins over Villarreal and Arsenal and a draw with Chelsea. These matches are not counted towards his record as permanent manager.

Ferguson’s shadow

Since the retirement in 2013 of Ferguson, who won 26 major trophies in 27 years at Old Trafford and had a 59.7 per cent win ratio, United have struggled to find a long-term figurehead.

– Ferguson took charge of 1,500 games with United. In 731 games since he retired in 2013, Carrick was the club’s seventh permanent manager in addition to interim boss Ralf Rangnick and caretakers Ryan Giggs, Carrick himself, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Darren Fletcher.

– Jose Mourinho has the best win percentage of those permanent managers with 58.3 per cent, 84 out of 144 games.

– Mourinho also won the most trophies of any manager since Ferguson, with a League Cup and Europa League double in 2016-17 having opened that season with the Community Shield.

Erik ten Hag won both domestic cups, Louis van Gaal lifted an FA Cup and David Moyes another Community Shield.

The numbers

David Moyes (June 2013-April 2014)

P51 W27 D9 L15

Trophies: 0

Moyes was seen as the ideal Ferguson successor and handed a six-year contract but, after 11 years at Everton, he lasted just 10 months at Old Trafford, paying the price for a dismal campaign in which United failed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since 1995. After years of further struggle at various clubs, Moyes rekindled his career at West Ham, leading the club to Europa Conference League glory in 2023 before stepping down 12 months later.

Louis van Gaal (May 2014-May 2016)

P103 W54 D25 L24

Trophies: 1

The tough-talking Dutchman delivered the FA Cup in his second season, but United’s fifth-placed finish in the Premier League, coupled with criticism of his side’s ponderous style and lack of goals, led to his departure. Van Gaal returned to management in a third stint as Netherlands head coach in 2021, but quit after their exit from the 2022 World Cup and last year rejoined former club Ajax as an advisor.

Jose Mourinho (May 2016-December 2018)

P144 W84 D32 L28

Trophies: 2

The much-decorated Portuguese initially breathed new life into the club, winning a cup double in 2017 and securing a runners-up finish in the Premier League in 2018. However, his defensive brand of football did not delight fans and his abrasive character, with constant rumours about problems with Paul Pogba, affected the dressing room and results suffered before his sacking in December 2018. Mourinho was sacked after two and a half years in charge at Roma in January and, after being appointed as Fenerbahce boss in June, oversaw the Turkish club’s 1-1 Europa League draw with United in Istanbul last month.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (December 2018-November 2021)

P168 W91 D37 L40

Trophies: 0

The former United striker transformed the mood at Old Trafford after initially taking charge on a caretaker basis, winning 14 from 19 games to earn the job permanently. Solskjaer led United to third in 2019-20 and runners-up a year later, when they also lost the Europa League final on penalties. But despite the progress made, the 1999 treble hero paid for a series of poor performances when he lost his job in November 2021.

Erik ten Hag (July 2022-October 2024)

P128 W70 D23 L35

Trophies: 2

Dutchman Ten Hag arrived at Old Trafford with a formidable reputation having guided Ajax to three Eredivisie titles. He ended the club’s six-year wait for a major trophy when they lifted the Carabao Cup in February last year before leading them to a top-three finish and Champions League qualification. However, a miserable second season blighted by injuries and faltering form saw United exit Europe after the group stage and finish eighth in the Premier League, their worst ever return. They did beat rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final to temper that but made a disappointing start to this term, where they sat in 14th place following defeat by West Ham when Ten Hag departed.

Ruben Amorim (November 2024-January 2026)

P63 W24 D18 L21

Trophies: 0

Amorim won only 24 of his 63 games in charge in all competitions, or 38.1 per cent, the worst rate of any United manager since the retirement of Ferguson aside from Rangnick’s 37.9 per cent in half a season as interim manager. Amorim’s longest winning run was just three matches, set in Europa League fixtures against Rangers and FCSB either side of a Premier League clash with Fulham and matched against Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton in October 2025.

Michael Carrick (January 2026-November 2026)

P32 W15 D8 L9

Trophies: 0

The former midfielder last season steered the Red Devils to a third-place finish and Champions League return, having improved the mood, performances and results following Ruben Amorim’s rocky reign. But Carrick suffered the same fate as every other manager since Ferguson after United’s winless Premier League run extended to an eighth match with the 4-4 draw with Aston Villa.