Manchester United Predictions: Former Players Weigh In on Carrick's Season
Michael Carrick hasn’t even taken charge of a full Premier League campaign as permanent Manchester United manager, but the predictions have already started flying in from some very familiar faces.
The new season truly kicks into gear for United on Saturday, away at Hull City’s MKM Stadium in the early 12:30pm kick-off. Third place last year under Carrick’s electric interim spell has reset expectations. Now the question from the club’s old guard is simple: was that a launchpad, or a ceiling?
The answers are split.
Foster backs repeat top-four finish
Ben Foster, never shy of a verdict on his Fozcast podcast, is convinced United will be back in the Champions League spots again.
“All right. It’s Arsenal, then it’s Chelsea, then it’s Man United, then it’s Liverpool,” he said, laying out his top-four in order.
He doubled down on that call, repeating: “Arsenal, Chelsea, Man United, Liverpool. We will see come the end of the season, lads.”
For Foster, Carrick’s United are good enough to hold their ground. Third again. No title charge, but no collapse either.
Butt goes bold: United to finish second
Nicky Butt sees it differently. Same belief in United’s resurgence, but with an extra gear.
On The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, the former midfielder tipped Carrick’s side to push right up towards the summit of the table.
“Liverpool, City, Man United, Arsenal,” he said when asked for his top four.
He then clarified his stance, making his faith in United crystal clear.
“So, I do think, obviously, we’re all agreeing with Arsenal [being top], but I think Man United will come second.”
The message from Butt is loud: he expects United not just to compete, but to overtake most of their rivals.
Scholes urges caution over title talk
Paul Scholes, another ‘Class of ‘92’ great, is far less convinced that United are ready to jump that high.
Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football show, he placed Carrick’s side in third, but with a warning attached.
“United [in third place] for me,” he said, before pointing to what he sees as a glaring issue.
“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. He doesn’t yet see a complete team.
Owen tips United to miss out
If Foster, Butt and Scholes all keep United in the Champions League conversation, Michael Owen steps outside that circle.
On the same show, the former United and Liverpool striker delivered the most pessimistic verdict of the group, predicting a fifth-place finish for Carrick’s side in 2026/27.
No top four. No Champions League. In Owen’s eyes, United still trail too many of their rivals to break into the elite bracket this season.
Rooney puts United on the edge of the pack
Wayne Rooney, the club’s all-time leading scorer, sits somewhere between the optimism and the doubt.
In his BBC Sport predictions, Rooney has United clinging onto the final Champions League spot, backing them to finish fourth.
Not quite the title-chasing leap some fans crave. Not the slip outside the top four that others fear. A solid, if unspectacular, step in Carrick’s first full campaign.
Five former United players. Five different levels of belief. From Butt’s bold call of second place to Owen’s warning of fifth, Carrick’s United walk into Hull on Saturday under the weight of expectation from a generation that once set the standard themselves.
Soon enough, the guesses stop mattering and the table starts telling the truth.
