Scholes Sees Progress for Manchester United Under Carrick
Paul Scholes sees clear signs that Manchester United are moving in the right direction under Michael Carrick – but he is adamant they are not yet ready to go toe-to-toe with Arsenal for the Premier League crown.
United’s season was drifting towards disaster last year. Champions League hopes were fading, European qualification itself looked shaky, and the mood around Old Trafford was flat. Then Carrick walked in for Ruben Amorim in January and changed the temperature of the club.
From there, United surged. Carrick hauled them up to third place, finishing just seven points behind neighbours Manchester City, and turned a drifting squad into one of the form teams of the second half of the campaign. That revival has fuelled talk that his first full season in charge could bring a serious title push.
Scholes is not buying that. Not yet.
Scholes impressed by Carrick – but wary of Arsenal gap
Speaking on The Overlap, the former United midfielder, who collected 11 league titles in a glittering Old Trafford career, pointed straight at Carrick’s personality as the foundation of the turnaround.
“I think it comes from Michael Carrick’s character. He’s just a calm and relaxed character, he won’t ever get too high or too low,” Scholes said, underlining the steady hand now guiding United.
The question, as he framed it, is simple: what should United be judged against?
“Where you have to judge United’s transfer business is what do you expect from them? Are you expecting them to challenge for the Premier League? I still think that’s a little bit away with the business that’s been done.”
That “little bit away” is called Arsenal.
Last season Mikel Arteta’s side finally ended their long wait for a league title, lifting the Premier League trophy for the first time since 2004 and going all the way to the Champions League final, where they lost to PSG on penalties. They have not eased off since. The Gunners are putting together another sharp transfer window and underlined their intent by dismantling Enzo Maresca’s Man City 3-0 in the Community Shield on Sunday.
United, by contrast, are still piecing together a squad that can live with that standard over 38 games.
Recruitment by sections – and a spine Scholes still doesn’t trust
Scholes likes parts of what United have done in the market. He also sees the fault lines.
“I think on the recruitment point of view, they seem to be doing it in different sections,” he said. “This time last year they seemed to sort out the forward line which is now much better and much more dangerous.”
Benjamin Sesko is central to that. The Slovenian forward grew into the season and looks a serious threat, but Scholes feels the burden on him remains too heavy.
“They could probably still do with another centre forward to help [Benjamin] Sesko out a bit. He’s still young and he did get better last season, there’s no doubt about that.”
This summer, attention has turned to the middle of the pitch – an area that repeatedly let United down.
“It feels like the priority this summer has been the middle of the pitch and that area was a problem last season,” Scholes said. The problems, in his eyes, have not vanished.
“I still think it’s a problem, not just from centre midfield but centre half as well because every team that had joy against us, it felt like they were coming straight down the middle because of the lack of pace and mobility in there.”
Andrey Santos has arrived, but Scholes is cautious, not critical.
“I’ve hardly seen [Andrey] Santos play so you need to give the lad a chance but I still think there might need something else in there.”
He is more certain about Youri Tielemans’ qualities on the ball – and his limitations off it.
“[Youri] Tielemans is a brilliant footballer and can control the game but again athleticism isn’t his strength. I still think there’s a problem down the middle, I still think they need centre-halves.”
That is the crux. Scholes does not believe the current central defenders can anchor a title-winning side.
“I don’t think the current ones are of the quality to try and win the Premier League and that‘s where I judge Man United.
“In that position you need players who are reliable every single week but United’s are always picking up injuries.
“We’ve got [Harry] Maguire who’s starting to pick up niggles, Lisandro Martinez just can’t stay fit, Leny Yoro has struggled a bit over the last two years and it looks like the level is a little bit above him, although he’s still young and he might come on with Ayden Heaven.
“So I still think a big area of the pitch is that spine to make the side more solid and give them more legs and have more reliability at centre half.”
A new challenge for Carrick: the grind of midweek football
Carrick’s first half-season in charge felt like a sprint. No European football, no midweek drain, a clear run at the league. United rode that rhythm superbly.
Scholes believes that luxury is gone.
“The thing Michael Carrick is going to have to deal with now as well is midweek football. He had an unbelievable run last year but everything was in his favour if you know what I mean.
“Now all of a sudden he’s got these extra games which will have an impact on the squad.”
The schedule will stretch a group Scholes already considers light in key areas. The spine he distrusts will be asked to play more, and to play under greater physical and mental strain.
Even so, he is not dismissing Carrick’s long-term prospects. Far from it.
“I think Michael Carrick can win the Premier League with Manchester United but it won’t be this season. But if he can build the right team he can do that.”
That is the balance of his view: admiration for the manager, concern about the squad, and a belief that Arsenal still sit a level above.
United open their 2026-27 Premier League campaign at home to newly-promoted Hull City this weekend, eager to prove that last season’s surge was a foundation, not a fluke. Arsenal begin their title defence on Friday night against Coventry City.
The gap, Scholes insists, is still there. The next nine months will reveal whether Carrick can start to close it – or whether Arsenal will disappear over the horizon again.
