Carrick Leads Manchester United Back to Champions League After Beating Liverpool 3-2

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Koobie Mainoo scored the winning goal for Manchester United against Liverpool with a score of 3-2 in the Premier League match at Old Trafford on Sunday night, May 3, 2026. This result ensures United's qualification for next season's UEFA Champions League.

United took a two-goal lead in the first half through Matheus Cunha in the sixth minute and Benjamin Sesko just before half-time. However, Liverpool fought back early in the second half with goals from Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo, leveling the score at 2-2. But when Liverpool seemed poised to turn the game around, Mainoo secured the home victory with a goal in the 77th minute.

This win ensures United's fifth-place finish and their return to the Champions League after a two-season absence. Since being appointed as the interim coach in January, Michael Carrick has recorded 10 wins out of 14 matches.

In the post-match press conference, Carrick admitted that his role as head coach was feeling increasingly natural, amid speculations about his status for the next season. "I love doing what I'm doing. It's a great position for me to be and it feels pretty natural if I'm totally honest," said Carrick, as quoted on Manchester United's official website and cited by ESPN.

He stated that achieving qualification for the Champions League is a significant step for the team, especially since the target seemed distant when he first took over the coaching position. "We will have to wait and see. When we came in, the Champions League was a bit in the distance and we wanted to get back into Europe and to be there with three games to spare is a big achievement," he said.

However, Carrick emphasized that his future is still undecided. "Whatever is going to happen is going to happen," he said. Throughout his tenure, Carrick has also led United to victories over major teams such as Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, and now Liverpool. "It's been a good run. We've beaten some very, very good teams and it's been challenging. Sometimes we've won it in some ways, sometimes we've won it in other ways," he stated.

Carrick added that he doesn't want to overly celebrate this achievement. Instead, he encourages the team to aim for greater results. "It's a huge step [...] There are signs of improvement and a lot of satisfaction that comes with that. We want more of that. We expect more of that consistently," he said.

Meanwhile, Liverpool's position under the guidance of Arne Slot is not entirely secure. They are still six points ahead of AFC Bournemouth in sixth place, with three matches remaining. In this match, Liverpool showed two different performances. After a weak display in the first half, they rallied and played aggressively in the second half. However, they failed to maintain the momentum until the end of the match.

On the other hand, Mainoo had an impressive week after signing a new contract until 2031. The 21-year-old midfielder performed solidly in the midfield alongside Casemiro and scored his first goal in 50 Premier League matches. This victory also extends United's unbeaten home record. They have now gone 398 league matches unbeaten at Old Trafford when leading at half-time since 1984.

Read: Manchester United Secure Three Points in 2-1 Win Over Brentford

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News

Manchester United Secure Three Points in 2-1 Win Over Brentford

6 hari lalu

Manchester United Defeats Aston Villa 3-1 in Premier League Match

49 hari lalu

Tonight's Premier League Schedule: Arsenal vs Chelsea

1 Maret 2026

Manchester United's New Signings Begin to Deliver

24 Februari 2026

Michael Carrick Praises Manchester United's Spirit After 1-0 Win Over Everton

24 Februari 2026

Manchester United Appoints Michael Carrick as First-Team Coach Until Season End

14 Januari 2026

Inside Ruben Amorim's Net Worth: Salary, Severance, and a High-Stakes Coaching Career

6 Januari 2026

UK Boxer Ricky Hatton Dies at 46 After Comeback Announcement

15 September 2025

Manchester City Trample Manchester United 3-0, Haaland Scores Two Goals

15 September 2025

Cristiano Ronaldo Becomes First Player to Score 100 Goals for Clubs in Four Countries

25 Agustus 2025