MANCHESTER, England, April 28, 2026, 22:21 BST
Manchester United moved within two points of a Champions League spot after beating Brentford 2-1 on Monday. The result gave another boost to Michael Carrick’s argument for keeping the manager’s job past his interim run.
United sit third in the Premier League, holding 61 points and an 11-point cushion over Brighton & Hove Albion in sixth, with just four matches remaining. Since the league’s top five will secure Champions League spots next season, Carrick’s team require only a single point—a draw from their remaining games would seal it.
United have missed out on the Champions League for two straight years and slumped to 15th last season, forcing the club into a reset instead of rolling out another plan for the distant future. Carrick stepped in this January, following Ruben Amorim’s dismissal. Since then, United have taken nine wins from 13 league matches.
United grabbed the opener early, Casemiro nodding home in the 11th minute after a Bruno Fernandes corner found Harry Maguire, who kept the move alive. Brentford responded late in the first half with Benjamin Sesko spinning and scoring in the 43rd. Mathias Jensen cut it close, firing in an 87th-minute goal to give Brentford hope, but United saw it out.
Carrick didn’t let the mood get ahead of itself. “The Champions League is one thing,” he said, telling reporters United shouldn’t be “over-celebrating” with plenty left to chase higher up the table. Reuters
This next one isn’t a trivial fixture. Liverpool, currently fourth, head to Old Trafford on Sunday, still three points back from United. Brighton hang just outside the qualification spots, hoping for a late twist. If United beat Liverpool, it’s more than just securing a European place—it puts real pressure on the board to decide on Carrick’s future.
Harry Maguire, back in the lineup and part of United’s first goal, highlighted the shift in structure and atmosphere since Amorim’s departure. Speaking to Sky Sports, he said, “results speak for themselves,” adding that the team used to drop close matches under Amorim; with Carrick, Maguire believes United have shown more solidity at both ends of the pitch. Sky Sports
Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports he thinks Carrick is set to lead United next season, crediting “sensational results.” Gary Neville, also on Sky, argued Carrick is squeezing top performances from the squad, though he pointed out United haven’t consistently hit the heights they showed in earlier wins over Manchester City and Arsenal. Sky Sports
Sesko threw his support behind Carrick, crediting the ex-United midfielder with injecting “different energy” into training sessions and saying he hopes Carrick remains. Scoring against Brentford pushed the Slovenia striker to 10 league goals this season. Reuters
Yet risks linger. United haven’t locked in qualification, Carrick is still just interim, and Casemiro — pivotal to this recent run — will exit after the season wraps. Carrick called it “pretty clear” for both parties following the Brazilian’s ninth league goal. The Guardian
Brentford boss Keith Andrews, reflecting after the defeat, picked out his team’s bravery following an early letdown, saying there were positives in the mix. But encouragement was in short supply for Brentford. For United, though, the evening edged them nearer to a trophy that, back in January, seemed out of reach—and for Carrick, his future at the helm is looking less like a placeholder each week.
