Manchester United rejects Nagelsmann, Carrick's permanent appointment moves closer! The "Double Red Derby" decides Champions League qualification.

Following Carrick's efforts in steering Manchester United toward Champions League qualification, his prospects of becoming the official manager next season seem to be growing. His rivals are being dismissed successively, with the most recent one being Germany's head coach Julian Nagelsmann.

According to the Daily Mail, Manchester United is unwilling to consider any coach who will lead a team in the 2026 US-Canada-Mexico World Cup this summer, effectively ruling out Tuchel, Ancelotti, Pochettino, and Nagelsmann. United recently contacted Nagelsmann, who definitely will not leave before the World Cup or agree to coach United prematurely.

Similarly, Manchester United is unlikely to abandon Carrick for other Premier League managers, such as Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola, Crystal Palace's Oliver Glasner, or Fulham's Marco Silva, whose records are not better than Carrick's and who also lack experience managing top clubs.

British media reports that after conducting background checks on several managerial candidates, the board concluded that unless a major surprise occurs at the end of the season, not appointing Carrick permanently would be a shocking outcome.

Although other options exist, there is a widespread belief within Manchester United that not retaining Carrick would be a greater risk, as his team's performance has provided strong justification for a permanent role.

One candidate who might have changed United's thinking is Luis Enrique, but the Paris Saint-Germain manager is almost certain to renew his contract and stay in France. Therefore, BBC asserts that at this stage, Sir Jim Ratcliffe cannot avoid giving Carrick the official manager position.

Since Carrick took over the team in January, Manchester United has won 8 out of 12 matches and is just two victories away from securing a return to the Champions League. United could likely confirm qualification in the "Double Red Derby" against Liverpool at home on May 3rd, or even earlier.

Manchester United only needs 6 more points to guarantee a top-five finish in this season's Premier League regardless of other results. Moreover, if competitors drop points, the Red Devils might secure next season's Champions League spot even before the Liverpool match.

On Tuesday, Chelsea suffered a 0-3 defeat away to Brighton, likely dropping out of the Champions League race! Brighton, having played one more game than United and the same as Chelsea, currently sits sixth in the Premier League with 50 points from 34 matches, which is the Europa League qualification zone.

Now, United needs to distance itself not only from Chelsea with 48 points, but also Brighton, Brentford, and Bournemouth—the latter two also have 48 points, having played 33 games like United. Everton with 47 points from 33 games and Sunderland with 46 points from 33 games are also theoretically potential threats to the Red Devils.

Bournemouth will host Leeds United on Wednesday; Daniel Farke's team has remained unbeaten since early January, so United may not rely on opponents making mistakes. Everton will visit relegation-threatened West Ham United on Saturday; if David Moyes's team falters, the threat to United would also diminish.

Manchester United itself will host Brentford at Old Trafford next Monday, offering a chance to directly eliminate another competitor's challenge. Regardless of the outcome, United will have to wait at least another week. Assuming Carrick's team defeats Brentford, United could earliest secure Champions League qualification after Brighton's match against Newcastle United on May 2nd, provided Brighton loses and Bournemouth also slips up.