Michael Carrick’s first Manchester derby as interim manager ended in victory and gave him crucial time to prove himself. Eight months later, after steering United to a third-place finish and being handed the job on a permanent basis, expectations have climbed and Sunday’s meeting with Manchester City is seen as a key indicator of how far his rebuild has come.

United’s former midfield playmaker has secured just one win, against Ipswich Town, in the opening three Premier League fixtures. A sobering defeat at Hull City and a draw at Everton have cooled some of the optimism sparked by last season’s resurgence.

Thursday’s 4-0 Champions League win over Sabah provided a welcome lift ahead of City’s visit, but Carrick is aware that Sunday will be the true benchmark.

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“There’s no way we’re assuming: ‘We won last year, we can do the same things and everything will be the same’,” Carrick, who was installed on a full-time basis in May, told reporters when asked how he is approaching Sunday compared with the January clash in which United outplayed Pep Guardiola’s side.

“I understand the expectation. Everything was quite fresh and new then, we didn’t really know where it was going to go. The players, myself, the coaches, you guys, were all waiting to see how it would go, and it was a quick turnaround.

“I think the confidence we’ve built over a period of time, and the feeling that we’re getting better all the time, I think that helps us. We know it’s a big game, we know it’s an important game. There’s a lot riding on it.”

Carrick’s steady leadership delivered 12 wins from his 17 Premier League games in charge last season, with only two losses. There was strong belief heading into the new campaign that the momentum would carry over.

Despite an uneven start to the season and defensive frailties, Carrick insists he is still in the early phase of a long-term plan to restore the club’s standing. “All the decisions we were making were as if we were going to be here for a period of time. I never knew how long that was going to be, and I still don’t, but you’re always planning for what we want the future to look like and the direction we want to go, and that was from day one,” he said.

While Carrick has featured in numerous Manchester derbies, his City counterpart Enzo Maresca will lead his side into the fixture for the first time on Sunday as he aims to continue a flawless start to the post-Guardiola era.

“I have been involved in different ones. The worst one is Olympiacos v Panathinaikos. That is very hot,” the Italian said. “Again, I was in Italy with Juventus, so you went to Torino, in Seville, Betis, as a manager, with Chelsea, different ones.”

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“I think they are all special games for everyone, for the fans, first of all, for the club, for the players, for the coaching staff. I want these kind of games, I like these kind of games. The most important thing is the players are focussed.”

Maresca is boosted by the return of Nico O’Reilly after he missed Manchester City’s win against Coventry City and the midweek victory over Porto.

Manchester United has forward Marcus Rashford back in contention after he was kept as an unused substitute in the win over Sabah as a precaution. “It was nice to keep Marcus fresh and ready for the weekend,” Carrick said of his absence on Thursday.

Published on Sep 11, 2026