Michael Carrick: Why interim Man United boss probably shouldn’t get coaching job

Manchester United have so many points in the Premier League that it seems like a no-brainer that interim Premier League boss Michael Carrick should be given the job permanently after taking over in January.

But dig a little deeper and the decision isn’t so clear-cut, as statistics warn that while the results are impressive, they’re unlikely to last in the long run.

On the surface, everything seems dull under Carrick.

Also, Arsenal are the only team to have taken more points during his tenure, with a better goal difference, and no other team has conceded more goals.

United’s attack is running well below their previous average, which is fantastic in the short term, but a bit worrying for the future when it cools down.

Eight teams have been better at creating chances based on expected goals, but having the best conversion rate in the league means United have scored seven goals from a single team in their history – more than anyone else.

Looking at both attack and defence, Nottingham Forest are the only team to have a higher xG number than United since Carrick took over, enjoying their own ‘new manager bounce’ under Vitor Pereira.