Carrick's United: Predictions for the Season Finish

Manchester United’s new era under Michael Carrick starts for real on Saturday lunchtime at the MKM Stadium. Hull City away, 12:30pm, and a season’s worth of judgement waiting on the other side.

Third place last year under Carrick’s electric interim spell has reset expectations. He is permanent now. The experiment has become the project. And a cluster of former United players have already nailed their colours to the mast over where this team will land in 2026-27.

The verdict? Respect for Carrick. Doubts about the squad. And no one brave enough to call a title win.

Foster: United in the mix, but behind Arsenal and Chelsea

Ben Foster sees more of the same.

The former United goalkeeper, who correctly backed them for a top-four finish in 2025-26, expects Carrick’s side to repeat the trick this season. On his Fozcast podcast, he laid out his predicted top four in blunt order.

“Arsenal, then it’s Chelsea, then it’s Man United, then it’s Liverpool,” he said.

He doubled down on that ranking, repeating: “Arsenal, Chelsea, Man United, Liverpool. We will see come the end of the season, lads.”

For Foster, United stay competitive, but still chasing two clubs he believes are better equipped for a title tilt.

Butt pushes United higher – and into second

Nicky Butt is more bullish.

The former United and England midfielder, speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, pushed Carrick’s side up another notch. When asked for his top four, he replied: “Liverpool, City, Man United, Arsenal.”

He then clarified his thinking, suggesting a reshuffle at the very top.

“I do think, obviously, we’re all agreeing with Arsenal [being top], but I think Man United will come second.”

The order of his initial list and his follow-up line leaves the exact sequence a touch muddled, but the key point is clear: Butt believes Carrick can drive United into second place. For him, United are no longer just clinging to the Champions League spots. They are chasing only one side over 38 games.

Scholes: top four, yes – title challenge, not yet

Paul Scholes is not buying the idea of a full-scale leap.

Also speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football show, the Class of ’92 midfielder put United in third and underlined why he is not ready to promote them any higher.

“United [in third place] for me,” he said.

“I still think they’ve got a lot of work to do to… I think they need to strengthen. Now, look, possibly they could do better, but I just don’t think the centre-halves are good enough.”

Scholes sees progress, but not a complete transformation. The manager impresses him. The spine of the team does not. For all the optimism around Carrick’s methods, the former playmaker still circles that defence as the fault line.

Owen sounds a warning: United slip to fifth

Then comes the coldest assessment.

Michael Owen, sitting alongside Butt and Scholes on The Good, The Bad & The Football, pushed United out of the Champions League places altogether. The ex-United and Liverpool striker has them finishing fifth.

No detailed breakdown, no long justification. Just a blunt prediction that, in his eyes, four teams will outpace Carrick’s men over the course of the season.

For United, that would be a step backwards from last year’s third place and a harsh early verdict on the Carrick era.

Rooney’s call: just enough for fourth

Wayne Rooney lands somewhere in the middle.

In his BBC Sport predictions, United’s all-time leading scorer backed his former club to finish fourth. Not surging into a title race, not collapsing out of the top four, but clinging onto that final Champions League berth.

Fourth under a new permanent manager, after last season’s surge, would keep the project on track. It would not silence every doubt.

The Carrick equation

Put it all together and a pattern emerges.

• Foster: third.
• Butt: second.
• Scholes: third.
• Owen: fifth.
• Rooney: fourth.

Every one of them expects United in or around the top tier of the league. None of them tips Carrick to win the title. The faith is in the coach. The hesitation is in the squad, especially at the back.

Hull away will not decide anything. But from the first whistle at the MKM Stadium, Carrick’s United start answering a question his old team-mates have already asked: are this side genuine contenders, or just another version of the nearly men?