Bruno Fernandes Backs Michael Carrick as Manchester United Manager

Bruno Fernandes has nailed his colours to the Manchester United mast and thrown his weight firmly behind Michael Carrick, insisting he is “here to serve” the club and hoping his manager is the man to drag them back to the Premier League summit.

Carrick, 44, is edging towards being confirmed as United’s long‑term head coach. A broad agreement is in place for him to stay on, and inside Old Trafford the mood is that it is a matter of when, not if, the deal is completed. The paperwork and the announcement can wait; the direction of travel is clear.

On Tuesday night in London, the present and the possible future of United stood side by side. Carrick, calm and understated as ever, handed the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year trophy to his captain. Fernandes, in the form of his Premier League life, collected the award and then doubled down on his belief in the man in the dugout.

Only 48 hours earlier, the 31‑year‑old had reached another landmark. His assist in Sunday’s 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford took him to 20 for the league campaign, equalling the Premier League record for a single season. The numbers underline his influence; the soundtrack that afternoon underlined Carrick’s. The home crowd sang for their manager, a clear show of approval as United edged a chaotic contest.

Fernandes has never hidden his admiration for Carrick’s work, and he saw no reason to row back now with the club on the brink of making it official.

“I spoke a lot of times about him,” he said. “I already said many things about how good he could be as a manager in the past, so I think those words are still there.”

The message was consistent and pointed. He is not the kingmaker, and he knows it, but he is fully aligned with the club’s likely decision.

“Obviously, it’s not in my hands deciding who’s going to be the next manager,” he added. “I’m here to serve the club, whether that is a manager that comes in, or if he stays, I will serve them in the same way.”

The pressure finally told when he was asked the question every United supporter has wrestled with: can Carrick actually take them back to the top?

“I hope so, if he stays,” came the reply. “I hope he’s one that can take us back to the top of the Premier League because this is what all the players want.”

Hope, in this case, is not blind. Since Ruben Amorim’s departure in January, Carrick has stitched together a quietly impressive run: 11 wins from 16 matches in charge. No fanfare, no grand declarations, just a team slowly rediscovering structure and belief.

That work will be tested one more time before the summer reset. United travel to Brighton on Sunday to close out a 40-game campaign – their shortest season in 111 years. Fewer fixtures, but no shortage of turbulence.

Carrick heads to the south coast with his captain in record-breaking form, the dressing room leaning his way and the stands increasingly behind him. The contract will follow. The real question is whether this partnership can carry United all the way back to the peak they still regard as their natural home.