Bruce made 417 appearances under Sir Alex Ferguson before embarking on a 27-year management career spanning 12 clubs and 1,094 games, and believes Carrick's connection to the club gives him a natural advantage over outside candidates.
"I sincerely hope Michael Carrick gets the Manchester United job," Bruce told The Overlap and Betfair's Stick to Cricket show. "He's certainly put himself in pole position. He gets the club because he's been there and played for it. So I hope he does get it permanently next season."
Carrick returned to Old Trafford in January 2026 as interim head coach following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim, and has overseen nine wins from 13 games, hauling United into third place and within reach of Champions League football. He made 464 appearances for the club across his playing career.
Bruce also reflected on the lessons he took from Ferguson that shaped his own approach to management, highlighting the United legend's focus on preparation and winning mentality above all else.
"Sir Alex was huge on preparation," Bruce said. "He was the first to change the team — rotation — 25 to 30 years ago. It was unheard of back then, your team was your team. But it was all meticulous."
He recalled how Ferguson instilled a belief in his players that United occupied a category of their own.
"His mentality was to win. He would say, 'We're Manchester United and we are the best team, and you are the best players, and we've got to prove that week in and week out. The rest of the world don't like us, but we've got to make sure we're at it'."
With a decision on the permanent managerial appointment expected this summer, Carrick has so far done everything required to make the case for himself.