Michael Carrick has downplayed growing speculation around a potential Manchester United title charge, insisting his side must remain “realistic” despite a remarkable run of form in the Premier League.
United’s 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday marked their sixth win in seven league matches since Carrick stepped in as interim boss.
That surge has propelled the Red Devils up to third in the table and firmly back into the conversation at the top end of the division.
With 19 points collected from a possible 21, United have outperformed current leaders Arsenal FC and second-placed Manchester City over the same stretch.
Notably, Carrick’s first two matches in charge included statement victories over both sides, injecting fresh belief into the squad.
However, the numbers underline the scale of the task ahead. With 10 games remaining, United sit 13 points behind Arsenal, albeit with a game in hand, and eight adrift of City heading into Wednesday’s trip to Newcastle United.
Historically, no team has overturned such a deficit at this stage of a Premier League season.
The closest comparison came in 1997-98, when Arsenal recovered from 12 points behind United in early March to clinch the title, but they held three games in hand at the time.
Despite the momentum, Carrick was keen to temper expectations.
“You can’t rule anything out in football, but we’ve got to be realistic and know where it’s at,” he said.
“I think we’ve just got to try and keep winning games and see.
“Above us now there’s two fantastic teams. There’s some really good teams in and around us. We’ve had a good run, we’re certainly not getting carried away in.
“You’ve got to be patient but you’ve got to be living in the moment a little bit, certainly, take the confidence.”
The interim head coach added: “Wherever that’s going to take us, we’ll just have to see. But we’ll keep pushing anyway…
“Definitely a glass is half full on what you can achieve more than the negative side, that’s for sure. Of course, I’m being realistic about it.
“We have to win a lot of football matches for that to happen, so we’ll do what we’ve been doing and go one at a time.”
For now, Carrick’s message is clear: focus on the next fixture, build on the current rhythm, and let the table take care of itself.
Whether this late surge evolves into a genuine title push remains to be seen, but United have at least forced their way back into the conversation.
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