One look at the Premier League table shows why Carrick is right not to get carried away.
If results go against them, Manchester United could be bottom of the table by the time they kick-off against Aston Villa on Sunday.
Neither Mourinho nor Solskjaer could follow up their 3-2 successes with another victory. Mourinho’s United drew at Chelsea, then lost at home to Juventus. Solskjaer’s United were embarrassed by Liverpool. It meant neither man was able to build on the momentum generated by their epic victories.
That is Carrick’s challenge.
United have gone seven Premier League games without a win. They went eight under Ruben Amorim at the end of the 2024-25 campaign, but draws and losses were split by victories en route to the Europa League final, so the effect was not as great as it feels right now.
The club does have an exceptional home record against Villa. They have won their past six in all competitions and lost just two league games against the Midlands outfit at Old Trafford since 1983.
When United sources finally communicated – almost 48 hours after the 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth on 25 October – that Carrick and his players would be given the opportunity to turn the situation around, no timescale was put on this. However, the feeling was the forthcoming international break would be an appropriate time for the club hierarchy to take stock and decide what direction they should go in.
In the two games since, Carrick’s team have been excellent across two halves.
Victory against Villa, albeit with £70m Carlos Baleba joining the injured list, would haul them up to within two points of Unai Emery’s side heading into a tricky run of matches post international break, starting at Liverpool, but also including trips to Newcastle and Arsenal in December.
Defeat is likely to dump them in the relegation zone for at least a fortnight and facing severe baiting at Anfield on 22 November.
“It’s not about me,” is a phrase Carrick has repeated often as he has assessed the wreckage of another bad result. The outcome against Roma was much more positive.
There is no suggestion Carrick’s future has been decided just yet. What happens at Old Trafford this weekend looks very important.