Manchester United moved closer to Champions League qualification with a tense 2-1 win over Brentford at Old Trafford, leaving Harry Maguire praising Michael Carrick’s calm approach and saying the interim coach is allowing results to speak for the work done behind the scenes.
Casemiro opened the scoring with an 11th-minute header before Benjamin Sesko struck two minutes before half-time, but Manchester United still endured a nervous ending when Mathias Jensen drove in from distance three minutes from the end of normal time.
The victory left Manchester United 11 points clear in the chase for a Champions League place and extended a strong league run under Michael Carrick, whose second spell in charge from matchday 22 has delivered 29 points from 13
Premier League games, with nine wins, two draws and two defeats.
Maguire believes that platform is giving the squad belief for the closing weeks and also underlined the impact of the tactical tweaks introduced during Carrick’s return, especially the new shape at the back and greater control in both penalty areas compared with earlier in the campaign.
Maguire told Sky Sports that the mood has shifted since Carrick stepped in, explaining how difficult fixtures against Arsenal and Manchester City became turning points and also stressing that the current system still has room for improvement as defensive movements across the pitch continue to be refined.
"I think obviously the results help the feeling [of confidence about Michael Carrick] massively," Maguire told Sky Sports. "We had two tough fixtures when Michael first came in, and everyone was looking at them thinking 'oh no', with Arsenal and Man City, and we managed to get the six points. Everyone's believed in it, and we've gathered together. We've got the confidence. We know that we can score goals from anywhere. I think we can still get a lot better at this formation as well. I think we can work as a back force, slide across the pitch a lot quicker, like we should have done. The results speak for themselves, since the manager has come in, and the formation has changed, we just seem to pick up results. I think that in the previous games, when Ruben [Amorim] was here, the games were 50/50, but we always ended up on the back of a defeat. Now it seems like it's the other way around, where we're a lot better in both boxes. We defend our box a lot better, and we're managing to be clinical in the other box. "
Analytical models also reflect Manchester United’s strong position, with the Opta supercomputer now rating their chances of reaching the Champions League at 99.4 per cent, highlighting how much the win over Brentford tightened their hold on a top-four place.
Key league fixtures still await, with Liverpool due at Old Trafford next, followed by away matches at Sunderland and Brighton, which sit either side of a home meeting with an improving Nottingham Forest, leaving little margin for complacency despite the cushion.
The Brentford match again showcased Bruno Fernandes’ influence on Manchester United’s Champions League pursuit, as the captain provided an accurate through ball for Sesko’s goal and continued a personal run that now includes either a goal or assist in eight successive Premier League appearances at Old Trafford.
That streak puts Fernandes alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, who achieved 10 such home league games between March and November 2008, and Wayne Rooney, who recorded eight between December 2009 and March 2010, while Fernandes’ latest contribution moved the midfielder to 19 assists in this Premier League season, one short of the shared record of 20 held by Thierry Henry from 2002-03 and Kevin De Bruyne from 2019-20.
"We have scored nearly every game and Bruno is a big part of that. He could have maybe had one more [assist] and scored himself," Carrick said of Fernandes' display, emphasising the creative influence driving Manchester United’s attack during this Champions League push.
Winners are grinners!pic.twitter.com/Lc6duaAq65Manchester United (@ManUtd) April 27, 2026
Carrick focused on the importance of securing points at this stage, pointing to consecutive league wins and the way the squad handled late pressure against Brentford, while also recognising how hard it is to maintain a high win rate across such a competitive division.
"At this time of year it is a results business. We needed to take the points, and we've had two fantastic results in a row," Carrick said. "The way the boys managed it and stuck together,it was a tough finish, it is a tough league to get results in. To get the amount of wins weve had, we are delighted. Today was just about the three points and we got that. We are happy tonight. It is another win, and we have an important game at the weekend. We have put ourselves in a good position tonight. "
With Champions League prospects now strongly in their favour and form improving under Carrick, Manchester United enter the final stretch of the Premier League season with confidence, yet with awareness that decisive fixtures against Liverpool and others will still shape how this promising platform is ultimately judged.
