Story by[BBC]BBCThu, January 15, 2026 at 2:51 PM UTC·1 min readThere is a good chance that you have heard the term 'new manager bounce' in a footballing context. It is the idea that underperforming teams can immediately turn their fortunes around after hiring a new manager - but does this apply at Manchester United?AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe results of United's first five managers after Sir Alex Ferguson suggest that there is some truth to the idea, picking up 12 points from a possible 15 and scoring 18 goals between them in the process. Since then, the idea seems to have lost its credibility given that only Ralf Ragnick emerged victorious in his first match from United's six most recent managers. This weekend's Manchester Derby will not be Michael Carrick's first time taking charge of his former club - does the 'new manager bounce' term actually apply to him this time round?Given that Bruno Fernandes is the only player in today's squad that started in his first league game against Chelsea in 2021, it is fair to say however that Saturday's match at Old Trafford will be an eniterely different challenge for him. Read more about 'new manager bounce' here.