The elegant former Red Devil takes charge of the first team for the first time in his second stint as manager on Saturday lunchtime, in arguably United's biggest fixture of the season to date, the Manchester derby.
Baptism of fire for Michael Carrick
Pep Guardiola's side arrive at Old Trafford six points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, knowing that even a victory will, temporarily at least, only bring them to within one win of the Gunners.
Leave the Theatre of Dreams with their tails between their legs, and Arsenal could take full advantage when they kick off at the City Ground against Nottingham Forest on Saturday evening.
What's clear is that Old Trafford will be packed to the rafters and in full voice to welcome back one of their own into the hot seat. Perhaps the hottest seat in the English top-flight at present, given how badly things have gone for the club over the past few seasons.
Carrick will fully understand the task ahead of him from now until the end of the season, as this is now the first season since 1981/82 that the Red Devils have been dumped out of both domestic cup competitions at the first hurdle.
United are one of Haaland's favourite victims
Having a rampaging Erling Haaland in opposition for his opening game at the helm probably isn't how the Geordie imagined his reign would begin, either.
That's because the Norwegian international has been involved in more Premier League goals against Man Utd than any other Man City player (11 – eight goals, three assists), and continues to be a thorn in the side of City's biggest rivals.
On his last visit in October 2023, Haaland bagged a brace and provided an assist, as City left Old Trafford with a 3-0 victory, but his current form has seen him score just once in his last six matches in all competitions, a penalty against Brighton.
New signing Antoine Semenyo may also play some part in the game, and the striker has not only already scored at United's famous old ground this season for Bournemouth, but has also hit the ground running in his opening two games for City, scoring in both (Exeter and Newcastle).
Lack of consistency to address
If that weren't enough for United to concern themselves with, they'll need to keep tabs on Phil Foden, who has seven career goals against United to date.
There's also the issue of consistency for Carrick to address.
United have dropped points from winning positions on no less than 14 occasions so far in 2025/26, with only Bournemouth (16), West Ham (15) and Chelsea (15) doing so more often.
Although things are completely different now, of course, Carrick was unbeaten in his three-game caretaker spell in 2021 (W2 D1), and if he can at least start his current tenure in a similar vein, the locals will be right behind him from the get-go.
For all Ruben Amorim's bluff and bluster, there seemed to be a very real feeling from quite early on that he just didn't 'get' what it meant to be the manager/head coach of United, and therefore didn't really connect with the fanbase.
City's current form a worry for Pep
Carrick should have no such problem, though the weight of history and Sir Alex Ferguson's tenure continues to be a heavy burden for those who have followed the Scot into the dugout.
If the hosts are looking for omens, then Carrick's playing record against City should provide one at least.
He only had more wins in the Premier League against Sunderland (16) than he did against City (P24 W13 D3 L8).
Furthermore, City have dropped six points in their last three English top-flight games, drawing against Sunderland (0-0), Chelsea (1-1) and Brighton and Hove Albion (1-1).
United's last three games have also been drawn - vs Wolves and Leeds (both 1-1) and vs Burnley (2-2) - and that's their longest sequence of draws since 1992 when they drew five in a row.
Not since 2001 have two teams met in the Premier League on the back of them drawing their previous three games, with both sides also needing, rather than just wanting, the three points from this game.
Fernandes, Diallo and Mbeumo to return
On a positive note from a United perspective, Bruno Fernandes has returned from injury, with only Haaland (12) and Igor Thiago (11) having been involved in more Premier League goals since the beginning of November than the Portuguese (10 – three goals, seven assists).
Carrick will also welcome back Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo, who have been away on AFCON duty.
Benjamin Sesko appears to have played himself into a bit of goalscoring from too, and with all of Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol and John Stones being absent from the City backline, there could be some easy pickings for United's attackers.
In terms of H2H form, although United have won two of the last three to be played at the Etihad Stadium in all competitions, they haven't beaten City at Old Trafford since January 2023 - nine derbies ago.
In four of their last five home games against City in the league, the Red Devils haven't scored - including the last two - and not since between 1911 and 1914 have they gone three or more home league games without a goal.
It's been 53 years since United failed to score in both league games against City in the same season, too, whilst Saturday's visitors have won more Premier League away games against Man Utd than any other side (nine).
