Arsenal will be wary that Michael Carrick is currently in pole position to become Manchester United’s interim manager.
After Ruben Amorim was sacked, Man United began yet another hunt for a new manager, now on their 11th since Sir Alex Ferguson left.
For Arsenal, the Portuguese’s exit was significant as Amorim was compared to Mikel Arteta, with many wondering if the coach could replicate the Spaniard’s work at Arsenal at Man United.
That wasn’t the case, as Amorim knew he wouldn’t get as much time as Arteta, seeing his 14-month stay end and Darren Fletcher replace him.
Now, United are looking at a fellow former player to take on an interim role, with Carrick the frontrunner.
As an Arsenal fan, sum up Ruben Amorim’s time at Man United in THREE words.
Arsenal’s starting XI when Mikel Arteta lost to Michael Carrick at Man United
Carrick stands out as a candidate, having impressed at Middlesbrough and already having experience of coaching United.
In 2021, Carrick was in charge for three games following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
In one of those games, he faced Arteta’s Arsenal, and he won.
Where would this team finish in the 2025/26 Premier League?
Arsenal's squad when Mikel Arteta lost to Michael Carrick 🫣
Arsenal lost 3-2 at Old Trafford that day, falling short to a Cristiano Ronaldo brace and a Bruno Fernandes goal.
While Ronaldo being at United was one standout from the teams that day, another was the four names in Arsenal’s squad that are still in Arteta’s plans.
Gabriel Magalhaes and Ben White started in defence, while Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli were part of the attack.
The four players were the only ones to survive Arsenal’s mass changes as Arteta grew into his role, with the other seven stars now elsewhere.
There were high hopes for Ben White and Gabriel Magalhaes’ partnership at Arsenal
Arsenal fans will be quite relieved that the squad looks so different now, I know I am.
What is notable from revisiting the 2021 squad that lost at Old Trafford is the central defensive partnership of White and Gabriel.
Before William Saliba and Gabriel, it was White and Gabriel, who had high hopes for their partnership.
Have Arsenal ever had a better defensive partnership than William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes? If yes, tell us who!
That year, Gabriel predicted that he and the Englishman had everything to become a ‘very good’ duo for the Gunners.
“It’s only the beginning, but I think we have the makings of a very good partnership, in terms of our attributes,” Gabriel said of White.
While Gabriel grew into the role, White was shifted out to the right to accommodate Saliba, whose relationship with the Brazilian is incomparable to anything Arsenal have had in decades.
2021 was certainly a turning point for Arsenal’s defence, ultimately shaping it into the immovable force it is today.
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