Casemiro: Michael Carrick ‘completely deserves’ Man United job permanently

Casemiro has told ESPN that Michael Carrick “completely deserves” the Manchester United manager role full-time after transforming the club’s season.

United were sitting in sixth place in the Premier League when Ruben Amorim was sacked, having earned 31 points from 20 matches.

A 2-2 draw with Burnley under interim manager Darren Fletcher did little to help their cause but since Carrick was appointed caretaker manager of the club for a second time, they have shot up the table.

In his 14 matches in charge of the club, United have won 10 and drawn two, with two losses coming against Leeds United at Old Trafford and Newcastle United.

Their form has been so good that they have seen off title rivals Arsenal and Manchester City, as well as beating Liverpool and Chelsea, to leave the club comfortably in third place and secure a place in the Champions League for next season.

Since Carrick took the reins, United are indeed first in the Premier League form table, earning exactly half of their 64 points under his stewardship in only 14 of their 35 matches.

“In my opinion, he completely deserves it [the Manchester United job], I think he’s a guy who has already demonstrated that he has very good qualities to be a Manchester United coach,” Casemiro told ESPN Brazil’s João Castelo-Branco

“So it’s not up to me to choose, it’s up to the club.

“But if I could give my opinion, of course he deserves it, and he deserves the club’s total trust.

“Of course, the season is year-round, but since he arrived, he’s been doing an incredible job and I think that with more time he has everything to be a great manager of Manchester United.”

Casemiro has been one of the big winners of Carrick taking charge, having taken his tally to nine Premier League goals for the season under him,” Casemiro added.

“He’s a coach who knows the club, he’s a coach who was an idol at the club, he’s a coach who played a lot, won titles here, knows what the club is like, he knows what Manchester United is.

“So, full credit to the coach and there wasn’t much time, that for me was one of the big surprises, because he entered the middle of a troubled season.

“And the games, when he arrived, were not so much those games that we say to gain confidence, although in the Premier League there were not so many games like that, but those games, so there have already been difficult games.

“And the guy arrived and managed to change the club and me in particular, even more so because he was a former player, a midfielder.

“I’m happy for the person he is, the guy is a sensational person, an incredible person, and he deserves everything that’s happening in his career.”

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Casemiro moved from Real Madrid, where he won three LaLiga titles and the Champions League five times, to Manchester United where he has just a League Cup and FA Cup medal to show for his four years at Old Trafford.

And although his side have finished this season superbly, Casemiro said United are too big a club to be settling for merely gaining entry to the Champions League.

“When it comes to United, I always say that you have to think about titles, you always have to think about winning, about winning titles,” he said.

“Even more so, I’ve always liked to win titles, so I don’t think it’s an ideal season, but it’s a good season, especially because of the circumstance.

“But, I say again, you have to think about titles — United can’t be content with third place.

“United must always be thinking about titles and thinking about winning at the top of the table.

“And that for me has to be United’s thinking, circumstances, third place, very good, playing Champions League next year is another European competition, but it has to be more — United must always be more.”

Despite his impressive season with Man United, Casemiro reiterated that he would depart the club at the end of the season, with the midfielder insisting he wants to bow out on a high.

He added: “I don’t think there’s a chance [that he stays], there’s no chance.

“Mostly because of what I said, you know? Go out the big door, I think it was four beautiful, wonderful years and I am eternally grateful not only to the club, but to the fans.

“But I think I have to leave in good terms, I have to go out on top. I will be an eternal United fan here in England and I just have to thank all the love from the fans.”