Finding the right words under pressure is hard, even for managers who do it every week. PMR tracks how well they manage it in the minutes after a match.
I learned how much those words matter in places where lives were on the line. One of those moments came down to three seconds. I’ll tell you about it at the end.
Every post-match interview Michael Carrick has given in Premier Managers Revealed 2026/27, collected in one place: the quotes, the score out of 12, the Identity level and the analysis, matchweek by matchweek. For the latest standings, see the Premier Managers Revealed league tables.
Matchweek 1
Hull City 2 – 0 Manchester United
Saturday 22 August, MKM Stadium
Michael Carrick — Manchester United (away)
6/12 · Identity level fed: None reached
“Some was okay, obviously bits to improve on. It was never going to be perfect today but going today, giving ourselves a lot to do makes it more difficult. Probably one of those typical games with a new promoted team at home. We can’t give them much, they’ve got a lot to hold on to. After that we had moments, we had opportunities. We just didn’t have that spark to then put the chances away or create any more. We are bitterly disappointed with the result today. But it won’t knock us.”
“I’m not going into areas now. I think it’s for us to know and we will keep improving through the week and through the games and when we keep stronger as a group. That will come. Today is a game we can’t ignore. We have a lot to learn from it. But we will.”
“Two goals conceded anyway is frustrating. For sure, set plays, we’ve been pretty good at it over a period of time. That decided the game today. Of course there are things to improve on and that is one of those from today, which is pretty obvious to say. In general we’ve been pretty good. One game doesn’t change the whole direction of everything. We know that but we still got to be aware of what we need to get better at.”
“It is one game. First game of the season. It is disappointing enough. It hurts. Of course it does. But it is one game. It doesn’t change the whole course of direction the team is going in or the football club. We will stay calm, stay in the bubble and focus on next week.”
Carrick keeps the defeat small. He says it is one game three times, tells the players it will not knock them, and promises they will stay calm and focus on next week. Asked what needs to change, he says he is not going into areas now. No strength is named, no standard is set, and Hull are not mentioned at all. Treating a setback as temporary is half of what a squad needs after a bad afternoon. The other half, a reminder of what they are good at, never comes.
Source: NBC Sports, “Michael Carrick reaction: Manchester United boss ‘bitterly disappointed’ after shock defeat at Hull City” — nbcsports.com
Matchweek 2
Manchester United 5 – 2 Ipswich Town
Sunday 30 August, Old Trafford
Michael Carrick – Manchester United (home)
9/12 · Identity level fed: Capability & Esteem
It was a good win, a really good win in the end. We played some good football. The biggest thing from today really was the mentality of the boys to overcome setbacks. It depends how you deal with them, how quickly you deal with them.
We had one last week and we had a little one today, and I was really pleased with the way the boys responded. It’s easy to look at the result and say about the performance, but the mentality and the belief of the boys really pleased me. I thought he was pretty much all-around very, very good for a first start back. You know, we kind of managed him a little bit, and we’ve got good midfielders, so it’s that trying to make the best of the combinations.
But I thought Kobbie was immense in the middle of the pitch for us and underpinned the performance of the team. He showed his quality today. Through the middle of the pitch Bruno, Youri (Tielemans), Kobbie (Mainoo) and Matheus (Cunha) played some really good football. We relied on that a bit today with the way we played.
Then Bruno did what he’s good at. He’s had a big week winning awards and bouncing back from last weekend. Bruno with three goals today, a fantastic performance. What else can I say?
He means a lot. I mean, he’s the captain. He’s been here for a good number of years now and experienced a whole load of different emotions. Times like today, when you’re looking towards certain players to give us that little bit of something else, he did particularly well.
It’s difficult to say when so little time left. The business we’ve managed to do, I’m pleased with. I think we’re a better group, potentially better team. We’re open to if there’s something else to add.
I wouldn’t shut that down, we’ll have to wait and see.
Carrick looks beyond five goals and puts the win on mentality, belief and the speed of the response to setbacks. He calls Mainoo immense, praises the midfield and recognises Fernandes as the captain who supplied something extra. The praise is real and specific. It is also uneven. Saying Mainoo underpinned the team, that United relied on the midfield and that certain players had to provide something extra can imply that others were being carried. The interview builds the Capability and Esteem of individuals more strongly than the Identity of the whole group, and it leaves the next step unclear.
Source: Sky Sports post-match interview, source page
Matchweek 3
Everton 2–2 Manchester United
Hill Dickinson Stadium · George 83′, Maitland-Niles 90+6′; Mbeumo 46′, Šeško 88′
Michael Carrick (Manchester United)
Source: BBC Match of the Day; BBC Sport
Q: On conceding so late?
Yeah, for sure, it is. I thought there were a lot of good things in that game for us. We played some good football and looked dangerous at times, for the most part I thought we defended really well as a team. A few more balls went into the box, made it a little bit more difficult for us when we should have seen out of the game. We’re disappointed that we didn’t come away with a win.
Q: On Everton’s goals?
They were two great strikes to be fair. We didn’t give them clear chances, I thought we defended really well, a few bits dropped around the edge of the box, a few shots which we got blocks to.
Q: On United’s performance?
I thought that we played some really good football at times. Earlier on in the game and towards the end not so much, but we did a lot of good things, and looked dangerous. We caused them a lot of problems at certain times. Both were really good goals for different reasons, and the second one should have been the winner for us.
Q: What went wrong?
Of course we don’t want to concede goals. Today was different to the others, it was about finishing the game off more than anything because we were in a really good position.
Later, to BBC Sport:
It feels like a defeat. All the work that went into putting us in that position at different stages to then come away like that. We’re disappointed, bitterly disappointed. We can’t ignore the fact we have taken a point, but it feels that we should have had a lot more. We were that close to coming away with three points today. That’s football. There were little moments we can deal with a bit better, but we’ll be fine. The mentality is there. It’s two really good strikes from distance from their point of view. Sometimes they fly in the top corner, more often than not they probably don’t. But we obviously can’t ignore it. We need to concede fewer goals to give us a better chance of winning games.
10/12 · Identity level fed: Capability
Carrick praises United’s football, danger and defending as a team, then limits the disappointment to finishing the game. He credits Everton’s two strikes and says the mentality remains in place. The adverse moment is Narrow and Fleeting, and ‘we’ll be fine’ protects belief. The delivery is a little flat and “we need to concede fewer goals” gives the team only a broad direction, so the interview stops at ten.
Matchweek 4
Manchester United 0–1 Manchester City
Michael Carrick, Manchester United: 7/12
“We’re a good team so we’ll get back to winning ways.”
Carrick reassures United that they are a good team and can win again. He also acknowledges the need to create more chances and score. That gives the players some encouragement and a broad aim for improvement.
His focus on the refereeing decision places a reason for the defeat outside the team. That can help preserve confidence. The reassurance would be stronger with examples of the players’ qualities and clearer instructions for improving their attacking play. The explanation contains the setback, but gives less help with the next performance.
Breakdown: Towards 1 · SQAs 1 · Adversity 2 · Identity 1 · Path 1 · Good Loser* 1
Source: NBC Sports post-match interview
Matchweek 5
Fulham 1–1 Manchester United
Michael Carrick, Manchester United: 10/12
“The boys responded well and kept the belief, kept the quality, kept looking to do the right things.”
“You’re going to have a spell at some point as you’re progressing through, kind of building a team and growing and trying to get somewhere, you’re going to have a spell when it doesn’t quite go for you, and we’ve had a little spell of that.”
“We know we need to win football matches, and I’m convinced we will. I think the boys have shown that towards the end, that where they’re at with it.”
“He told it was a penalty three weeks ago, but apparently you can do against Harry pretty much all game, and nothing happens.”
Carrick makes the difficult run Fleeting and places it inside the longer process of building and growing. Belief, quality, intention and purpose are named as strengths the players showed after going behind.
The destination is clear enough: better results, backed by Carrick’s conviction that the team will win. The exact training path is less developed, and his closing complaint about penalty consistency gives some control back to officials. The balance still protects belief and recognises what must improve.
Breakdown: Towards 2 · SQAs 2 · Adversity 2 · Identity 2 · Path 1 · Good Draw 1
Source: BBC Sport post-match interview.
Matchweek 6
Manchester United 1–1 Tottenham Hotspur
Saturday 10 October 2026, Old Trafford, Manchester.
Michael Carrick, Manchester United: 9/12
Identity level: Safety and Belonging.
We couldn’t find a way to get ourselves into the game. With the ball, without the ball, we were off it. I’m not happy with the amount of points, I’m not hiding from that. We need to put things in a positive direction quickly. We have to be more streetwise and stubborn in the moment. It doesn’t change my belief, or confidence in the players. We can be a really good team. We don’t want to start games like that, it was challenging. They worked through it, got themselves in a good position, and couldn’t see the game out. That’s the most disappointing thing.
I’m not happy with the amount of points, I’m not hiding from that. Then, in the same breath, it doesn’t change my belief, or confidence in the players. Carrick is leaning on the group and taking the weight off the individuals at the same time, which isn’t easy in front of cameras after conceding in the ninety-second minute. Streetwise and stubborn is tied to the actual problem, because United led against ten men and couldn’t close it out. What’s missing is the part that would leave the players feeling better about themselves. Nothing tells them the trouble is passing, and we can be a really good team is about what they might become one day. Nothing says what they already are. That costs him on SQAs, Adversity and Identity.
Breakdown: Towards 2 · SQAs 1 · Adversity 1 · Identity 1 · Path 2 · Draw Leadership 2 · 9/12
Source: Sky Sports.
Matchweek 7
Leeds United 1 – 1 Manchester United
Sunday 18 October 2026, 2pm, Elland Road.
Michael Carrick, Manchester United
10/12. Identity level: Belonging and Purpose.
“There was definitely commitment. It had to be there today. I didn’t doubt that. I was looking forward to the game to see that, there was definitely an edge and intensity to it. I spoke to the boys this morning about the history of this game, what it means to the supporters, to the football club. It definitely tests you. It wasn’t a perfect performance but there was a lot in there to show determination to get a result. We’re not getting too carried away because we didn’t win the game. It felt like a bit of a fresh start today, in terms of where we’re at. The boys are desperate to do well for each other and the club.”
“There was a freshness. We had a different spine, that’s a massive positive for us. A little tweak tactically, not a huge change.”
“Maybe if you talk about top quality, maybe it wasn’t top, top quality I think we are capable of playing. With the results we’ve had we weren’t quite flowing but there’s enough in there to take from it.”
“It’s a bit more than just effort. It is the way you go about it. The plan. The responsibilities. The roles. I thought the boys took that responsibility on really well for the most part.”
“I suppose you’re looking at the togetherness, the spirit, the unit. I don’t doubt that within the group. The way that we went about it today gives me a lot of belief in us moving forward.”
Carrick is a lot clearer than he was a few weeks ago. The togetherness, the spirit, the unit, I don’t doubt that within the group is an SQA, and he says it as a fact rather than a hope. We weren’t quite flowing treats the bad run as a phase. Both halves of the Elevate Formula, and it’s the thing that was missing last time. He spoke to the boys this morning about the history of this game and what it means to the supporters. That’s Identity with something in it. We’re not getting too carried away because we didn’t win protects the standard after a draw. Towards and Path are 1 each. Top quality I think we are capable of playing is still about what they might become one day.
Sources: Sky Sports and Reuters.
Matchweek 8
Manchester United 0 – 3 Bournemouth
Sunday 25 October 2026, 2.00pm, Old Trafford.
Michael Carrick, Manchester United
Score: 8/12. Identity level: Safety and Belonging.
It was a tough day. I think the boys went into the game with the best intentions and if you found it difficult today, you could see that little bit of tension, a little bit of anxiety, a little bit unsure. Yeah, it made it difficult. The two goals just before off, time then put us in an even more challenging position and the next goal was always important I could feel the supporters wanting to get behind us even going off at half time I could feel the noise and the willingness to try and push us forward and I thought the next goal and I spoke about it with them at half time is the next goal if we could have got that at that point the whole dynamic. would have changed and unfortunately we didn’t have that moment, we didn’t find it and the third goal kind of finished the game off in many ways and after that it was a bit mixed emotions really, you could feel the dynamics, you could feel the boys trying to do the right thing, it wasn’t happening, you could feel the atmosphere in the stadium and it was very mixed feelings for me.
yeah I mean I’ve not seen it back but I thought the free kick that he gave against Aidan when he literally only tackled the ball so there was no one he actually tackled and he gave a free kick about but there was from what I seen there was no one close enough for him to end danger anyway but he gives a free kick and I think he booked him for it and the free kick obviously we need to defend better and Leny slipped you know he’s bitterly disappointed with it but he slipped I thought he’s done a lot of good things then he’s gonna be a top top player he’s a young player and he’s learning and he’s made one mistake today which that won’t affect him he’s too good for that but it’s a mistake and he’ll he’ll he’ll feel that and then the wind I think held the ball up for Senna as he’s come out and I mean it’s a good finish from the angle when all of a sudden the game’s done so it’s goals we could have done something about but when you slip like Leny did that’s very unfortunate
Yeah he was fit and available yeah we just decided to pick the team that we did today and unfortunately for everyone we didn’t manage to get the right result.
Yeah of course we did we wanted to push forward we wanted to try and create that a little bit more I think that we kind of tried and done certain things but not quite enough really and I don’t know
Yeah, very mixed, I have to say. To feel that connection with the supporters and the appreciation is… Yeah, I certainly feel it. I feel it and I appreciate that an awful lot. very mixed emotions you know the situation we’re in as a football club is what I care about the most and it’s not about me it’s about this whole place and being in a better situation in a position than we are at the moment and the feeling around it it’s saddened me to have that feeling stood there and feel so connected to it and there’s an awful lot of responsibility and i’ll feel it and i accept it as well for my part of my role in it as well but um to feel that from the supporters was was um was special in a way obviously not special compared to the game but it’s nice to have that connection and their appreciation for sure
no no not from me no there wasn’t there wasn’t a tear it was just more of appreciation for them of what they showed me it was as simple as that.
See what happens I’m not really expecting anything it’s just digesting today you know it was a tough day for us we knew it was an important game to try and win to get us moving forward again and we haven’t haven’t done that for me it’s just digesting that and like you say the emotions of the end of the game and what that brought was something that was a bit different something I’ve not really had before so I’ve got to digest that really
I’ve got the energy yeah for sure I mean it means so much to me and we’ve got games and things to focus on pretty quickly and gather the players. So there’s an awful lot to do and the responsibility of doing that. That’s fine. I enjoy that. I love it. It’s what I’m here for. So that’s it.
The passage about Yoro is the best piece of leadership language in the week. He slipped, he is bitterly disappointed, he has done a lot of good things, he is going to be a top player, he has made one mistake today and it will not affect him because he is too good for that. The problem is one moment, it is going, and the capability is the boy’s and it lasts.
For the rest of the group he does far less. Tension, anxiety, a bit unsure, all named and none of it answered, and nothing anywhere says the run is passing. The next step is to digest today, and that is not one.
Source: BBC Sport match report.
Matchweek 9
Chelsea 2 – 0 Manchester United
Saturday 31 October 2026, 12.30pm, Stamford Bridge, London.
Michael Carrick, Manchester United
Score: 10/12. Identity level: Safety, Belonging & Esteem.
How did you see that one? Because for a long period in the game, you were in the game.
We were more in the game. First half, we should have been ahead by at least one or two. I thought the chances we had, how dangerous we looked, the moments we had to create even better chances, I thought it was as good as we’ve played for a while really. I thought we’d done a lot of good things and come out second half really positive, looking to make a difference in the game and then the game ends up getting away from us really. The first goal is not a good goal to concede. From our point of view and then after that we never really got the game to where we had it in the first half, so it’s quite extreme one half to the next.
What about the sending off? Do you think that changed things or had it gone to a certain extent?
I didn’t think it had gone. I think obviously it has a major impact on the game. It’s a huge moment for it. I think that’s pretty obvious.
And the second goal almost knocked the stuffing out of you but then he came back and Bryan Mbeumo had the effort that came off the bar.
Yeah, probably summed it up really. A great strike from Bryan at that point. Ten minutes going up, there was still eight or nine minutes to go and we would have been right in the game again. The moments today, you know, you backed the lads to score, you backed the lads to create chances and they did a lot of good things. It really isn’t going in the right direction for us and Bryan’s one that kind of probably epitomised how the game went.
Were you happy with the reaction from Bruno Fernandes? He covered more ground than anyone else for the long periods of that game.
Yeah, I mean, I was happy with the team for the first half, especially all the individuals within it. The discipline, the roles, the quality of the football was all there. It was a difficult second half for everyone. I think that’s pretty obvious.
What will turn it for you? Bouncing the ball, going in off someone’s bum?
Yeah, well, it can be small things that are taken in direction. We’ve got to make it happen. We’ve got to make it happen in a positive way.
Carrick is the most pressured manager in the division. Nine games without a win, a point above the relegation zone, and every conversation about the club is about who comes next. He has not turned on his players once. The discipline, the roles and the quality of the football were all there in the first half, he says, and it was as good as they’ve played for a while. He backs the lads to score and to create. Those are real SQAs handed to a squad that could easily be hearing the opposite this week, and it takes something to keep offering them from where he is standing.
He owns the goal that turned it rather than passing it to anyone, and he puts the whole run down to small things that are taken in direction, so a nine-game wait stays short of being a verdict on them. What he hasn’t got is anywhere to point them. It really isn’t going in the right direction for us is left standing with nothing after it, and we’ve got to make it happen in a positive way is the nearest thing to an instruction in the whole interview.
Source: BBC Sport.
What links this league table to a life-or-death negotiation?
A young mother. Her children asleep in the back of the car. A hosepipe connected to the exhaust. A police negotiator with three seconds to find the words that might save their lives.
That call is where The 7 Skills to impress™ began.
When I listen to a manager after a match, I listen for the message beneath the words. A manager can be talking about a win or a loss, but the way they frame it can lift or chip away at a player’s belief before anyone even realises it.
Read Three Seconds to Save Their Lives: Jacqui’s Story and find out what he said.