Mikel Arteta has reportedly admitted that Manchester United could emerge as one of the strongest favourites to win the Premier League title this season, with the Arsenal manager recognising the remarkable transformation taking place at Old Trafford under Michael Carrick.
The claim would represent a major statement considering Arsenal enter the 2026/27 campaign as defending champions after ending their 22-year wait for the Premier League crown. However, Manchester United’s resurgence under Carrick has changed the conversation surrounding the club, particularly after the former United captain guided the team to a third-place finish last season and secured Champions League football.
Manchester United’s revival has been one of the biggest stories surrounding English football in recent months. When Carrick took charge in January 2026, United were struggling for consistency and appeared far away from challenging for the biggest prizes. Yet the former midfielder quickly brought stability, confidence and organisation to the squad. According to the Premier League’s official profile, Carrick won 11 of his 16 Premier League matches in charge, lifting United from seventh place to third and securing Champions League qualification.
That dramatic improvement is understood to have changed the perception of Manchester United among their biggest rivals. Arteta, who has now established Arsenal as a genuine domestic powerhouse, knows better than most how quickly a club can transform when the right manager, recruitment strategy and dressing-room culture come together. Arsenal’s own journey under Arteta provides a powerful example. After years of rebuilding and near misses, the Gunners finally won the Premier League in 2025/26, with Arteta being recognised as the league’s Manager of the Season.
Manchester United now appear determined to follow a similar path, and Carrick’s influence has already become central to that project. The former midfielder is no longer viewed simply as a temporary appointment. He was confirmed as United’s permanent head coach on May 22, 2026, signing a two-year contract after his impressive interim spell. His appointment has given the club continuity at a time when several Premier League rivals have undergone major managerial changes.
The possibility of United becoming genuine title contenders is also being fuelled by the club’s recruitment. United have added Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos during the summer transfer window, while the squad already contains players such as Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko. Bruno Fernandes enjoyed an outstanding campaign last season and was named Premier League Player of the Season, while United’s improvement under Carrick has given supporters renewed belief that the club can challenge much higher up the table.
There is also a growing belief that Carrick has restored something that had been missing at Old Trafford for several years: stability. United have gone through multiple managers since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement, with different tactical philosophies and recruitment strategies making it difficult for the club to build a consistent identity. Carrick, by contrast, already understands the culture of Manchester United from his long playing career and previous coaching experience at the club.
That familiarity could become extremely important over a full Premier League season. Carrick knows what it means to represent Manchester United and understands the expectations that come with playing at Old Trafford. More importantly, his early results have convinced many inside the club that he has the personality and tactical understanding required to manage the pressure.
Arteta’s recognition of United’s potential would therefore not necessarily mean that Arsenal are afraid of their rivals. Instead, it could be interpreted as an acknowledgement that the Premier League title race is becoming increasingly difficult. Arsenal enter the new campaign as champions, but Manchester City are undergoing their own managerial transition following Pep Guardiola’s departure, while Liverpool and Chelsea also begin new eras under different managers. Manchester United, meanwhile, have the advantage of continuity with Carrick following his successful second half of the previous campaign.
The timing is particularly interesting because Arsenal themselves will have to deal with the pressure of being champions. Arteta’s team ended a 22-year wait for the Premier League title last season and will now attempt to achieve something only a handful of managers have managed: successfully defending the crown. Arsenal also reached the Champions League final, meaning their squad will have to deal with the additional demands of European football alongside domestic competition.
Manchester United, meanwhile, are returning to the Champions League after missing out in the previous campaign. That creates its own challenge for Carrick. A Premier League title challenge would require United to maintain their domestic form while also competing against Europe’s best clubs. The depth and quality of the squad will therefore be tested much more severely than it was during Carrick’s interim spell.
This is where Arteta’s assessment would carry particular weight. Arsenal’s manager has experienced first-hand the difference between building a competitive side and building a squad capable of winning major trophies. The physical and mental demands of a title race are enormous, and every injury, suspension, dip in form and difficult away fixture can have an impact on the final standings.
United still have areas that need improvement. Their defensive depth remains a concern, with questions surrounding the reliability and fitness of several central defenders. Reports have also suggested that Carrick would benefit from further strengthening before the transfer window closes.
Those concerns explain why some observers remain cautious about predicting United to win the title immediately. Former United defender Mikaël Silvestre, for example, argued that it was too early to consider Carrick’s team genuine title contenders and suggested that more rebuilding was required.
But football rarely follows a predictable script. Manchester United have already demonstrated how quickly circumstances can change. A team that appeared to be heading toward another disappointing campaign suddenly became one of the strongest sides in the league after Carrick’s arrival. His ability to restore confidence to the players has been arguably as important as his tactical decisions.
One of the biggest reasons for optimism is the form of Bruno Fernandes. The Portuguese midfielder has remained the creative heart of the team and produced a remarkable season, setting a new Premier League assist record and winning the Player of the Season award. If he can maintain that level while players such as Cunha and Sesko provide additional attacking quality, United could possess enough firepower to challenge the leading teams.
The return of Marcus Rashford could also become an important storyline. Rashford spent time on loan at Aston Villa and Barcelona after falling out of favour under Ruben Amorim, but Carrick has reopened the possibility of him contributing to the Manchester United squad. Harry Maguire has publicly backed Rashford to remain at the club, describing him as a major asset.
If Rashford can rediscover his best form, United would have another potentially dangerous attacking option. Carrick’s ability to rebuild relationships with players who previously struggled could prove just as significant as any new signing.
Another important factor is the changing landscape of the Premier League. Arsenal remain the champions and will naturally start among the favourites. Manchester City remain a powerful club despite Guardiola’s departure, while Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham are all entering new managerial eras. That uncertainty could give Manchester United an opportunity to take advantage of instability elsewhere.
For years, United supporters have heard promises of a return to the top. This time, however, there is tangible evidence behind the optimism. Carrick’s results, the club’s Champions League qualification and the improvement in the team’s overall mentality have created a different atmosphere around Old Trafford.
The challenge now is consistency. Winning a handful of important matches is one thing; maintaining title-winning standards across 38 league games is another. Carrick will need his squad to handle injuries, European commitments, tactical adjustments and the enormous pressure that comes with representing Manchester United.
If the club can strengthen the squad further before the transfer window closes and maintain the momentum created last season, there is a realistic argument that United could enter the title conversation much earlier than many expected. The club’s hierarchy has already made clear that winning the Premier League is a major objective, with chief executive Omar Berrada previously stating that United can win the title within the next two years.
Arteta’s alleged assessment would therefore represent more than a compliment toward Manchester United. It would be an acknowledgement that the balance of power in English football could be changing again. Arsenal may have finally conquered their long wait for the Premier League trophy, but they now face a Manchester United side that believes its own period of rebuilding is coming to an end.
Carrick’s biggest task will be proving that last season’s revival was not simply a short-term reaction to a managerial change. If United can reproduce that intensity from the opening weeks of the new campaign, compete strongly against Arsenal and Manchester City, and avoid the defensive problems that could undermine their ambitions, they could become one of the most dangerous teams in the title race.
For Manchester United supporters, the prospect is enormously exciting. The club has not won the Premier League since 2013, and the years that followed Ferguson’s departure have been defined by managerial changes, inconsistent recruitment and disappointing league finishes. Carrick now has the opportunity to change that narrative.
Whether Manchester United ultimately win the title remains impossible to predict before a ball has been kicked. Arsenal have earned the right to be considered favourites after their historic championship campaign, while other elite clubs possess enough quality to challenge. Yet the fact that United are even being discussed as potential favourites demonstrates how far Carrick has taken the club in a remarkably short period.
The new season could therefore become one of the most fascinating Premier League campaigns in years. Arsenal will attempt to defend their crown, Manchester City will attempt to rebuild under new leadership, Liverpool and Chelsea will look to establish themselves under new managers, and Manchester United will attempt to turn Carrick’s remarkable revival into a genuine title-winning project.
If Arteta really does believe United are capable of going all the way this season, his comments would send an unmistakable message to the rest of the league: Manchester United are no longer simply trying to return to the top. Under Michael Carrick, they may be preparing to challenge for it.