Two-time world darts champion Luke Littler has urged Manchester United to set aside the noise around big-name managerial candidates and hand Michael Carrick the Old Trafford job permanently — insisting the club legend’s results speak for themselves and that the board will find it very hard to look elsewhere if Champions League football is secured.
The 19-year-old darts superstar, who is also one of the most prominent young Manchester United supporters in British sport, spoke exclusively to BetMGM — sponsors of the 2026 BetMGM Premier League Darts — ahead of the opening night of the darts roadshow in Newcastle. And his verdict on the state of United’s managerial situation was as decisive as anything he produces on a dartboard.
‘He Had to Go’ — No Sentiment for Amorim
Littler pulled no punches when it came to the fate of Ruben Amorim, whose tenure at Old Trafford ended in January after a deeply disappointing 14-month spell in charge. The Portuguese tactician had arrived from Sporting CP with a decorated reputation and a distinctive 3-4-3 system, but struggled to replicate anything like the same results in the Premier League.
“With the results Ruben Amorim had, I think he had to go,” Littler told BetMGM. “Michael Carrick has obviously come in and what he has done so far has been incredible.”
After a brief caretaker spell from Darren Fletcher, it was former United captain and midfielder Carrick who was brought back to the club he had served with such distinction as a player — initially tasked with steadying the ship until the end of the season while a longer-term decision is considered. What the club got instead was a flying start that few could have anticipated.
Carrick’s Stunning Start: Results That Demand Recognition
Sunday’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Fulham made it three wins out of three for Carrick since he was named manager, and there has been a marked change in the mood around the club as they moved into the Premier League’s top four. Among those three wins were victories over Manchester City and Arsenal — the top two in the table — results which, as Littler noted, carried particular weight given how far the club had fallen under the previous regime.
By the time Manchester United had racked up six wins and a draw from seven Premier League games under Carrick, Fabrizio Romano was reporting that the atmosphere around the squad had become “excellent” and that the players were “very happy” with him. Romano added: “Week after week, the feeling around Carrick is increasingly positive. When Manchester United decided to part ways with Ruben Amorim and give Carrick the opportunity, they expected him to do well — but not at this level. Now, internally, there is a feeling that Carrick could really have a chance to become the next permanent manager.”
For Littler, the path was already clear.
The Case for Carrick: ‘Improving the Players’
What has struck the darts world number one most about Carrick’s tenure is not just the results, but the tangible improvement in the players under his charge. Littler pointed specifically to left wing-back Patrick Dorgu as a player who has been visibly transformed.
“We need to keep it up now and, if we do finish in a Champions League spot, keep him for next season, bring some new signings in and back him. Of course, he doesn’t have a lot of experience in the Premier League or the Champions League. That isn’t everything and the way the team is playing at the moment, he is improving the players. Look at Patrick Dorgu, for example. He looks a different player at left wing than he did in Amorim’s system, much improved. The team as a whole is getting even better and if we keep going the way we are, hopefully we can secure Champions League football,” Littler said.
The willingness to concede the lack of top-level managerial experience while still advocating strongly for the appointment is significant. In a climate where names like Jurgen Klopp, Thomas Tuchel and Carlo Ancelotti have all circulated as potential summer targets, Littler is making a results-first argument — form and momentum over pedigree and reputation.
‘Very Hard for the Board Not to Appoint Him’
The crux of Littler’s position is conditional but firm: qualify for the Champions League, and Carrick deserves the job.
“If Carrick does get United Champions League football he has to get the job permanently for me. He’s done an incredible job so far against some very good teams and the players are so much more confident. If things continue and the results stay positive, I think it will be very hard for the board not to appoint him,” Littler stated.
It is a view that cuts against the prevailing wisdom from certain sections of the football establishment, where concerns about Carrick’s relative inexperience in the Premier League and on the European stage have kept his chances under question. Manchester Evening News reported that INEOS were aiming to have a new permanent appointment in place before the 2026 World Cup kicks off in June — a timeline that was always going to put pressure on Carrick to make his case in the remaining weeks of the season.
Romano himself had hedged, noting that the club would decide “later on, not now” — and that a strong finish would give Carrick “very good chances.” Littler, characteristically, is not for hedging.
The Fan Who Follows
Littler’s relationship with Manchester United goes well beyond the casual interest of a celebrity supporter. He has been regularly spotted in the stands following the club home and away between tournaments, making the most of his place in the Premier League Darts schedule to catch matches at Old Trafford whenever the fixture list allows. His passion for the club is genuine and well-documented.
It gives his views a certain authenticity — this is not a celebrity asked to pad out a sponsor interview with vague football opinions, but a die-hard Red who has watched Amorim’s system fail to function, seen Carrick arrive and instantly galvanise the dressing room, and reached a straightforward conclusion: why abandon something that is clearly working in search of something grander?
The argument will resonate with supporters who have seen United cycle through Mourinho, Van Gaal and Amorim — all experienced, all highly regarded, all ultimately unsuccessful. Solskjaer, like Carrick a club legend with deep ties to the culture Ferguson built, came closer to re-establishing the spirit of the place than any of the marquee imports. For Littler, the evidence points in one direction — and ‘The Nuke’ is not the kind of player who misses when the checkout is on the board.
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