Manchester United’s form under interim manager Michael Carrick during the second half of last season would have seen them finish a full Premier League campaign on 87 points.
That tally could have been enough for the Red Devils to seriously challenge or even emerge triumphant in a number of recent years.
Given the pretty obvious struggles of the Ruben Amorim era, what Carrick managed to do in such a limited time with a squad lacking both belief and cohesion was nothing short of spectacular.
Whether that run was simply down to the so-called ‘new manager bounce’ or an actual indication of things to come remains to be seen. His players seem to be full of belief, with Leny Yoro claiming they can win the league.
The looming Premier League season therefore takes on extra significance for Man Utd.
The stats behind Man Utd’s resurgence under Carrick
Having taken in a three-game caretaker stint in late 2021 prior to the appointment of Ralf Rangnick as a replacement for Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Carrick returned to the club in January 2026 with the mission of saving a sinking ship.
He promptly beat defending champions Manchester City and eventual title-winners Arsenal in his first two outings, deservedly winning the Premier League Manager of the Month award.
By the end of the season, Carrick’s record read 12 wins from 17 matches (after only eight in the previous 20), translating to 39 points out of an eventual 71, which was enough to finish third in the table.
At an average of 2.29 points per game, that form would have elevated the Red Devils to an 87-point total across an entire season – a potential title-winning haul.
Carrick also increased the club’s goal difference from +4 (34 goals scored vs 30 conceded) to +19 (69 vs 50) as his tactics led to greater defensive organisation and attacking threat.
This improvement was reflected in clean sheets; Amorim’s miserable tally of two in 20 with a disastrously skittish side was eclipsed by three in six from Carrick’s more well-rounded outfit.
Ultimately, projecting figures always comes with a pretty big caveat, but only a handful of clubs can claim to have produced similar form over the latter half of the season.
Can Man Utd win the Premier League title?
That form inevitably raised expectations around Old Trafford ahead of the new season.
Yet, if the club continues the statistical trends of last term’s resurgence into this new campaign, a title bid is to be expected.
And with the likes of Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Newcastle United all under new management, something special could be on the cards.
Of course, the challenge is not only in sustaining the effort over a full 38-game season, but in doing so through injuries, fixture congestion, and a roster of opponents wise to Carrick’s tactics.
Transfers will play a key role in this season too, with the club so far bringing in Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa in an effort to build out the squad ahead of a campaign that will include UEFA Champions League commitments.
While it is still far too early to predict anything concrete or label Man Utd as title favourites, the underlying figures and on-the-pitch evidence suggest there is genuine potential there.
This raises the Red Devils above a standard top-four battle and into the fringes of the title conversation, giving supporters more than mere hope when it comes to discussions of Premier League glory.
