‘He has the DNA’: Amad Diallo backs Michael Carrick for Manchester United top job

MANCHESTER – Manchester United’s interim manager Michael Carrick is the right man to take charge of the English Premier League club on a permanent basis, winger Amad Diallo said.

Since taking the reins following Ruben Amorim’s dismissal in January, the 44-year-old has guided the club to seven wins in 10 matches, with just one defeat.

Under the former United and England midfielder, the Old Trafford club are third in the Premier League with seven games remaining in their campaign and appear poised for a return to the Champions League next season.

“From a personal view, he’s the right man. He has a lot of experience, he knows the club and has the DNA. His relationship with every player is very good,” Ivory Coast international Amad told reporters on April 7.

“Sometimes this kind of manager can bring the club where they belong. It’s not the players who decide, but my honest opinion is we’re really happy to have Michael Carrick as a manager.”

Forward Bryan Mbeumo, signed from Brentford in 2025, echoed those sentiments, saying United’s players have had a “good experience” working with Carrick.

“He knows how to talk to us and we’re going to try to take as much as we can from him. It’s been easier because he knows the place. It’s been great to work under him,” he added.

While United chase a Champions League spot next campaign, Nottingham Forest are going for Europa League glory this term.

They may be fighting for Premier League survival but the April 9 trip to Porto for their Europa League quarter-final, first leg offers top goalscorer Igor Jesus and his teammates the chance to put relegation woes to one side as they target a first continental title in 46 years.

If manager Vitor Pereira seems to be prioritising Forest’s top-flight status over their first season in European competition since 1995-96 – resting several regular starters for their last 16 shoot-out win over Danish side Midtjylland – the Europa League has been the stage Forest have performed best on this season.

This is no more true of any player than Jesus, who arrived at the City Ground from Brazilian side Botafogo in the close-season.

The 25-year-old forward has found the net on just three occasions in 30 Premier League matches this campaign, but he has lit up the Europa League on Thursday nights, sitting level as the competition’s top scorer with seven goals.

“Getting to the final and winning the Europa League would be a dream come true, especially as the top scorer,” Igor Jesus told UEFA’s website on April 7.

However, the 2024 Copa Libertadores winner is keenly aware that their Portuguese last-eight opponents will be a stern test of their credentials.

“Porto have got a great team,” he said. “They’ve got a lot of quality. We’ve also got quality. We know it won’t be an easy game – in fact, it’ll be really tough. However, we’re willing to fight.”

Elsewhere, fellow Premier League outfit Aston Villa face a difficult trip to Coppa Italia winners Bologna in their quarter-final first leg.

With Unai Emery’s charges out of the title race domestically, the Europa League is now their only realistic chance of tasting silverware this season.

If there is a man to guide Villa to a first trophy since 2001, it is Emery and that competition would be the Europa League.

The Basque has won the tournament four times in his coaching career and has now guided Villa to three consecutive quarter-final appearances in the Europa League and Champions League.

In the Conference League, Crystal Palace’s home clash with Fiorentina is the most eye-catching of the quarter-final first legs, which will also take place on April 9.
REUTERS, AFP