Bruno Fernandes became the first Manchester United star to be crowned Premier League Player of the Season since Nemanja Vidić won the award in 2010–11. Fernandes was also crowned the Player of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association and may very well complete a clean sweep of individual accolades at the PFA awards. “A lot of players came out and said I was player of the season. For that, I am very grateful,” Fernandes acknowledged this week. Yet, he has loftier ambitions. “I want collective awards more than anything,” he stressed. “I want to win the Premier League, I want to win the Champions League.” For now, he will have to settle for this solo piece of recognition.

The list of winners since 1994–95 reads as a mixture of dominant seasons and singular brilliance. Some recipients carried title-winning sides, while others stood out amid struggle. Juninho Paulista is a striking example from 1996–97: Middlesbrough were relegated in the same season the Brazilian directly contributed to 20 goals, 12 scored and eight created, for a side that finished 19th. Kevin Phillips claimed the individual award in 1999–00 despite his Sunderland side finishing seventh; Phillips struck an extraordinary 30 Premier League goals that season.

Manchester United enjoyed a strong run in this award during their period of domestic dominance. From 2006–07 to 2010–11, five straight awards went to United players. Nemanja Vidić’s 2010–11 gong was the most recent United winner until Fernandes this term.

More recently, the prize has often fallen to players from Liverpool and Manchester City. N’Golo Kanté in 2016–17 was the last player from outside that Liverpool-City period to claim the award.

Only five players have won the prize more than once: Thierry Henry (2003–04, 2005–06), Cristiano Ronaldo (2006–07, 2007–08), Nemanja Vidić (2008–09, 2010–11), Kevin De Bruyne (2019–20, 2021–22) and Mohamed Salah (2017–18, 2024–25). No player has completed a hat-trick of titles, and Cristiano Ronaldo remains the only member of that group to win in consecutive seasons.

Michael Carrick’s elevation to permanent manager arrives after an interim run that revived Manchester United’s form in the second half of the season. Going into the final weekend the club are guaranteed to finish third, only a fifth top-three placing in 13 seasons since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. Ole Gunnar Solskjær managed two of those finishes in 2019–20 and 2020–21, with José Mourinho (2017–18) and Erik ten Hag (2022–23) providing the others.

Twelve months on from a worst-ever Premier League season under Ruben Amorim there is renewed optimism at Old Trafford. Recruitment is required, but the squad’s framework looks healthier and Champions League income will be important.

There are clear winners. Kobbie Mainoo’s season is extraordinary. He had not started a single Premier League game before Ruben Amorim’s departure in early January. Under Carrick he has started 15 of 16, missing only one match through injury — United lost without him. Carrick, a former deep-lying playmaker, has publicly valued Mainoo’s attributes and championed the 21-year-old from day one.

Bruno Fernandes has also benefited. The captain had opportunities to leave in recent transfer windows but stayed and has been rewarded as Carrick’s setup has allowed him greater freedom to create and increase his assists.

Carrick’s longevity at the club matters. With 15 years at Manchester United behind him, his approach has tapped into what supporters expect: fast, direct football focussed on creating chances. The change has involved simplifying overly intricate systems that preceded him. During his playing career Carrick came through the ranks at West Ham United, becoming an established first-team player from the age of 19, and he has signalled a desire to promote youth. “A massive part of me, and for this football club, is to try and bring the younger players on and give them opportunities to see what they can do, for sure,” he said this month. That could eventually include 15-year-old prodigy JJ Gabriel next season.

The contrast with the Amorim tenure is stark. His recruitment split the senior leadership and contributed to the end of Dan Ashworth’s brief reign as sporting director, while his tactical plan never suited the players. Had Carrick not succeeded, Andoni Iraola was once viewed as the leading alternative after his work with Bournemouth, but the club elected otherwise.

Not all reaction has been positive. Roy Keane said Carrick was “absolutely not” the right long-term choice and declared: “If United win every game until the end of the season, I still wouldn’t be giving him the job. I still wouldn’t be convinced he’s the man for the job. They need a bigger and better manager. Are we going to sit here and believe Michael Carrick can get United winning league titles? It’s not enough for me.”

Manuel Ugarte’s time as a Manchester United player might now draw to a close.

Manchester United have appointed Michael Carrick as their permanent manager, ending the interim period that followed a strong run of results. The former midfielder has been rewarded with a two-year contract understood to include the option of a further 12 months.

Carrick’s early impact as caretaker was immediate. A 2–0 victory over Manchester City and a subsequent 3–2 win against Arsenal were the first two results in a seven-game unbeaten run that intensified calls for a permanent appointment. Those performances helped underpin a record of 11 wins from 16 games under his stewardship.

That sequence took Carrick onto the shortlist for the Premier League Manager of the Year award and, crucially for the club, steered United back into the Champions League with a confirmed third-place finish.

During his interim spell Carrick has been actively reflecting on the squad and offering input on transfers, though most formal recruitment work was deferred until a permanent manager was in place. United officials made clear they wanted clarity in the dugout before authorising significant decisions, and with Champions League qualification secured they moved to end the uncertainty.

With the appointment formalised, attention will shift quickly to constructing a squad that fits Carrick’s ideas. His preferred style of play has already been apparent during the run of positive results, and that aligns with the boardroom’s assessment of where reinforcements are needed. Those in charge want more midfield options and it is clear that Carrick shares that view.

The club will now enter a planning phase with a permanent manager installed, ensuring transfer strategy and squad development can proceed with Carrick’s input. United officials will look to convert the interim momentum into sustained progress as the manager prepares to shape the squad in his image for next season.