Michael Carrick has won four of the five matches as Manchester United’s interim head coach since replacing Ruben Amorim in January

Michael Carrick has been handed a potential boost to his hopes of being given the Manchester United manager’s job on a permanent basis. United appointed Carrick as the club’s interim head coach until the end of the season and has enjoyed an impressive spell in charge so far.

United have won four of Carrick’s five matches in charge at Old Trafford, with the other game ending in a draw with WestZinedine Zidane Ham. That form has seen the Reds climb up to fourth place in the Premier League table and see their chances of Champions League qualification significantly improve.

Speculation has continued to swirl about who could become United’s permanent manager in the summer, with Ruben Amorim last holding the role before his exit back in January.

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Zinedine Zidane has been linked with the United job on several occasions in the past, but there have never been any concrete rumours claiming that an appointment suggesting a move could genuinely be on the cards.

Now, there has been an update on Zidane’s future, with the former Real Madrid boss being out of managerial work since his departure from his second spell at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2021.

According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Zidane has reached a “verbal agreement” to be the new head coach of the France national team.

It has been claimed that Zidane will be taking the job in the summer after the World Cup is completed, with current head coach Didier Deschamps set to lead the country in the tournament, which is being hosted in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

While Zidane has not been directly linked with the United job since Carrick’s appointment, if the report is true, it would hand the United interim boss a boost if he does have any hopes of getting the job at Old Trafford on a permanent basis.

United are currently preparing to face Everton in their next match in the Premier League and will be hoping to strengthen their position in qualifying for the Champions League with a valuable three points on their trip to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

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Man Utd are set to play Everton in the Premier League on Monday and Mason Mount could return to the squad.

After Ruben Amorim’s sacking, Mason Mount was seen as the biggest ‘loser’ in Manchester United’s dressing room. Amorim did not hide his affection for Mount, saying that he “loved” the midfielder’s determination.

United were statistically a better team when Mount started in the first half of the campaign, which backed up the eye test. The 27-year-old scored goals against Sunderland, Crystal Palace and Wolves to finally build genuine momentum for the first time since his move to Manchester.

Unfortunately for Mount, he’s been unable to impress Michael Carrick as he did Amorim because he picked up a knock in training just as Carrick was getting his feet under the table at Carrington.

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Mount made a small cameo with an offside goal to his name in the Manchester derby victory, and was an unused substitute at the Emirates Stadium. He then picked up the training injury during the team’s preparation to face Fulham.

Earlier in the month, Carrick suggested Mount should be back in the squad to face Everton, but he did confirm the midfielder would return at the Hill Dickinson Stadium when he spoke on Friday.

Speaking at Carrington, Carrick explained: “Mason is getting closer, we have been patient with him. We don’t want to push anything. We want him back and fit. He is getting closer, which is good for us.”

Carrick did not outright commit to Mount returning to the squad in Merseyside, but it appears he has a strong chance of being available for selection again for the first time since Arsenal.

Mount will go from facing the challenge of regaining fitness to regaining a starting role, though. The change of formation poses questions about where he best fits into Carrick’s system.

The Portsmouth-born lad was perfectly suited to playing in one of the No.10 roles in Amoirm’s system, and perhaps his ideal position in Carrick’s shape would be the central attacking midfield role.

Bruno Fernandes has that position nailed down. You only need to look at Kobbie Mainoo, who was pitted against Fernandes by Amorim, meaning he did not make a start in the Premier League this season until Carrick was appointed, to see that Mount would face an impossible task to usurp the United captain.

The silver lining is that Mount is adaptable and versatile. He could play on either of the flanks or down the middle, where Bryan Mbeumo has played, so it’s certainly not all doom and gloom.

And Mount can take comfort from the fact that his position in the United squad looked weaker last summer when Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha were signed. He still found a way to force his way into the team and become a key player, which shows he’s got the mettle to rise to another challenge.

Mbeumo and Cunha were signed to be the first choice in the No.10 roles, but Mount backed himself. Speaking in pre-season, he reflected: “Any opportunity you get, you’ve got to try and take it. And, yeah, I mean, I’ll always back myself. I know what I can do. But we’re a team and we’re all working together in that.

“Obviously, with the new signings coming in, they (Cunha and Mbeumo) are going to elevate us to another level, and we all need to be at that level to really perform.”

Mount will need to show the kind of determination that endeared him to Amorim in the second half of the campaign. He has missed some time to impress Carrick, who could land the job permanently in the summer, but he’s got form for bouncing back from setbacks and proving people wrong.

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Cristiano Ronaldo’s past comments praising a former Manchester United team-mate have been backed up by a current star of the squad

Benjamin Sesko is hard at work attempting to follow in Cristiano Ronaldo’s footsteps by lifting Manchester United to greatness. And it seems the two are somewhat kindred spirits after each taking a liking to the same personalities at Old Trafford.

More specifically, Sesko has taken after Ronaldo by developing a close bond with United defender Diogo Dalot. Aside from both being from Portugal, Ronaldo spoke highly of his countryman’s characteristics when discussing players he admired.

It was towards the tail end of Ronaldo’s second stint at Old Trafford that he infamously appeared on Piers Morgan’s TalkTV show. And when pressed on which team-mates or opponents he held respect for, Dalot came out atop the list regarding United comrades.

“In Manchester United I can mention Dalot,” said the five-time Ballon d’Or-winner. “He’s young, but very professional [and] I don’t doubt that he’s going to have longevity in football because he’s young, he’s smart, intelligent and he’s very professional. Probably [Lisandro] Martinez, Casemiro is in his 30s, but I will say Dalot.”

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Fast-forward to the present day, and Dalot has displayed other appealing traits after helping Sesko settle in. The 22-year-old arrived at Old Trafford from RB Leipzig last summer in a deal potentially worth £74million, but Dalot played his role in making the switch a simple one.

When asked about which players at United he has bonded with in particular, the Slovenian told the Inside Carrington podcast: “Diogo Dalot. From the start, he was really helping me.

“Trying to help me in all the ways because it’s a different world here. I’m really grateful that he stood up, and he saw his younger self in me. We are still pushing each other every day, doing all the work.”

United fans may have Dalot to thank for Sesko’s uptick in form of late as the striker has helped raise standards on the field. The frontman has scored five goals in his last six appearances and has been crucial to Michael Carrick’s success as interim manager.

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Sesko scored both of United’s goals in a 2-2 draw away at Burnley last month, albeit not the result he and his team-mates wanted. He’s since come off the bench to score the winner in the 3-2 victory over Fulham, as well as bagging the equaliser in the 1-1 draw at West Ham last week.

Dalot, 26, also continues to play a prominent role in Carrick’s plans despite some fans raising concerns about his contributions in the past. The full-back has scored once and recorded three assists in 26 outings across all competitions this term.

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The Porto academy graduate, who joined United in 2018, was of rare value in Ruben Amorim’s former strategy given he’s able to play in either wing-back position. That role is no longer in use under Carrick, but the club legend has nonetheless found use for a player both Sesko and Ronaldo clearly revere.

Dalot appears to have cemented his place as first-choice right-back under Carrick, while Sesko has largely had to settle for minutes off the bench. It’s a set-up that’s worked for the most part to date, though the latter will hope to share more minutes with his close companion in the months to come.

Manchester United travel to Everton on Monday night looking to avoid the Toffees doing the double over them after November’s awful defeat at Old Trafford.

“We are trying to be our best,” was the message from Manchester United interim head coach Michael Carrick ahead of Monday’s trip to Everton. “We have things to improve on but we have a good base and foundation moving forward, a good spirit and we will draw on pretty much all of that on Monday night.”

Carrick’s return to Old Trafford has been overwhelmingly positive so far. The victories over Manchester City and Arsenal were unexpected, against Fulham his team showed the grit and determination needed to grind out a result and the win over Tottenham was another step in the right direction.

The draw last time out against West Ham was a bump in the road. United were not at their best and were frustrated by a side happy to sit back and hit them on the counter. If not for the heroics of Benjamin Sesko, the unbeaten run would have been over.

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But while the draw at the London Stadium was disappointing compared to the previous four games, it was nowhere near as bad as the loss to Everton back in November. It is understood the defeat to the ten-man Toffees was a contributing factor in the decision to sack Ruben Amorim in January.

David Moyes’ team did not need to do much to win that night. Once down to ten men, they were rigid, compact and pushed the onus onto United. Good teams would have seen that as a gift but United’s response was abject. They were slow in possession, wasteful with their build-up play and were punished for it.

Moyes received credit for the victory but United were the ones who presented it to him. As they head to the Hill Dickinson Stadium for the first time, Carrick knows this game will be a huge test of his credentials.

There is confidence the interim head coach can do what his predecessor couldn’t. United have shown, albeit against more attacking opponents, they can stretch defences.

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The way they went from defence to attack against City was sensational. And while United are likely to have more of the ball against Everton, Carrick must show this team can keep that positivity in their play.

A key failing against Everton at Old Trafford was United’s slow use of the ball. They became too predictable and played into Moyes’ hands.

Since returning to United, Carrick has spoken a lot about knowing what it means to play for this club. That has been evidenced in most of the performances.

But this is another test in the interview process for the permanent role at Old Trafford. Carrick has a golden opportunity to show Ineos he can lead this team to good results with positive play against defensive set-ups. Moyes’ pre-match message will be simple: same again.

He will set Everton to play on the counter and catch United. If they keep 11 men on the pitch, they will show more attacking intent.

From Carrick’s perspective, he will hope his team have learnt their lesson from that November defeat. If they have, he will be another step closer to proving he is a viable option for the permanent job.

Manchester United appointed Michael Carrick as their interim head coach, and the former Middlesbrough boss is said to have as good a chance as anyone at getting the job permanently

Jonathan Woodgate and Steve Holland have helped Michael Carrick become the favourite to be Manchester United’s next permanent head coach.

Carrick is now said to lead the race for that job according to The i Paper, and stands as good a chance as any external candidate, having impressed since replacing Ruben Amorim. The interim staying on next season suggests Holland and Woodgate are due to remain in their coaching roles, too.

The i Paper claims sources say they, along with fellow coaches Jonny Evans and Travis Binnion, have the “perfect balance”. One source reportedly said they were surprised a Premier League rival did not hire Holland, highlighting his ability and know-how.

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A long-time assistant at Chelsea before joining the England set-up, Holland’s experience has reputedly helped Carrick’s younger coaches to operate cohesively. Woodgate is one of those, having worked only at Bournemouth and Middlesbrough previously.

However, learning to speak Spanish while playing for Real Madrid during his playing career is said to have proved vital. Tactical insights from the former England international have surprised some, while the former defender’s individual work with Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro has also been highlighted.

Carrick has spoken at length to the BBC about his coaches. He said, “There’s a really strong group, and it feels like we’ve been together a long time, but we didn’t all know each other.

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“I didn’t really know Steve personally an awful lot. I thought it would come together nicely and was balanced, and there’s a reason why I wanted to bring Steve in.

“Jonathan… I had him at Middlesbrough – loyal, gets me, knows me, pushes me, challenges me… really good relationship. Jonny [Evans] knew the club. He’s been here so long and has a really good relationship with the players as well… loves coaching, loves helping, cares a lot.

“And then with Travis… the club needs the academy. It’s a massive part of this football club. I think there’s a really good balance with the responsibility of the academy, young players and then Jonathan and Jonny – being two of the best centre-backs you could come across in the last 20-25 years – to pass their information on.

“Steve – with his experience in so many ways… Chelsea, with change of managers and different styles of managers and top, top players, and England. All the staff are able to cope being around the environment, and I think that’s so important.

Carrick confirmed they challenge him, adding: “I can’t be right the whole time – it’s impossible. That’s why we’ve got a group of six in our office.

“We’ve all got strong opinions, but I think we all filter it, and it’s important that we have a connection and understanding of what direction we want to go in. We have to push each other, for sure.”

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Manchester United face a decision in the summer over whether to appoint a new permanent head coach or make Michael Carrick their boss full time, and the Reds icon has already made his stance clear

Michael Carrick has made no secret of his desire to take the Manchester United job on a permanent basis beyond the summer. The former midfielder has lifted the mood around Old Trafford since stepping in as interim head coach following Ruben Amorim’s departure in January.

Carrick has overseen five matches so far, guiding United to four wins, including impressive victories over Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham.

The club is still expected to wait until the end of the season to appoint a permanent head coach, and one candidate under consideration is Oliver Glasner, who has already announced he will leave Crystal Palace come the summer. It looks increasingly likely, however, he could depart a lot sooner.

Carrick, on the other hand, has been clear about his intentions and his desire to take United forward. In an interview with BBC Sport, he said: “It’s not a stock answer – for me, it’s the ultimate role. I’m really enjoying it, I love what I’m doing.

“I’m fortunate. I feel privileged to be in the position I am, but it’s not the fact that I believe I can do it and I’m here to do it. I said it when I came in – there’s the sentimental side of that, of understanding the role and coming through the club and being here and loving the club and being a supporter and all that side of it is one thing.

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“But, actually, I’m here to do a job now and to make a good team and be successful. I don’t decide how long that’s going to be but I love being here and and while I’m here, I’ll give everything I can.

“And I always plan for the long-term future for the benefit of the football club. That’s how I believe it should be.”

Carrick went on to emphasise how happy he is with his role at the club, adding: “I’m loving what I’m doing. Again, you know… really good people. The staff are fantastic, the players have been unbelievable.

“It’s a really good place to come in every single day – to drive in and look forward to being here. And then, obviously, around the city and globally, the reaction and the support that you get – it’s very hard to describe it. It’s incredible.

“So, yeah, I’m delighted to be here.”

United are back in Premier League action on Monday night (February 23) as they travel to Everton under the lights at Goodison Park (8pm kick-off). They remain unbeaten in their last five games.

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Two Manchester United players have shown their determination to return to the starting line-up under interim head coach Michael Carrick

Manchester United duo Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro have been putting in the extra work as they look to return to the starting line-up. United have not played a match in more than a week, having had a free weekend due to not being in action in the FA Cup.

United have just the Premier League to focus on between now and the end of the season, which has allowed the players to have more time to rest and recover between fixtures.

Michael Carrick was installed as the club’s interim head coach until the end of the season last month, and has picked up 13 points from a possible 15 on offer so far, with four wins and one draw.

However, Heaven and Yoro have seen their minutes on the pitch reduced since Carrick took interim charge at Old Trafford last month.

READ MORE: Man United ‘team up’ with Liverpool to challenge £750m Premier League schemeREAD MORE: JJ Gabriel’s Premier League ban and when he could break Man United record

Yoro has played just 23 minutes of football since Carrick took charge, which have come as late substitute appearances in two matches. Heaven, meanwhile, has made just one appearance as a substitute in the win over Manchester City last month, and has remained on the bench ever since.

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On Wednesday, Heaven posted a series of photos on Instagram of himself taking part in a training programme in Dubai, and was joined by Yoro in several of the photos.

Heaven’s post to his 569,000 followers went on to receive 37,800 likes, including one from United captain Bruno Fernandes.

Fernandes went on to leave a tongue-in-cheek comment on the post, which read: “Did you go to Dubai just for some extra trainings?” The comment was accompanied by a smirking face emoji, implying that Fernandes was made the remark as a joke.

With Heaven and Yoro remaining most unused by Carrick in the last five matches, United’s interim head coach has instead chosen to start Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez at the heart of the defence.

It remains to be seen if Yoro or Heaven will be given any minutes when United face Everton in their next Premier League fixture next Monday night.

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Wayne Rooney has been full of praise for Michael Carrick since he took over as Manchester United interim manager

Wayne Rooney insists it “makes sense” that Michael Carrick should be considered for the permanent Manchester United position. He has full confidence in his ex-team-mate and insists he’s earned the right to be in contention for the full-time role.

Since Carrick assumed control as United’s caretaker boss, there’s been a major turnaround on the pitch. Notable victories over Manchester City and Arsenal were followed by further wins against Fulham and Tottenham, before last week’s 1-1 draw at West Ham.

This unbeaten streak has seen the side climb to fourth place in the Premier League table, putting them in prime position for Champions League qualification. Rooney featured on The Overlap’s Fan Debate and suggested that United’s next manager is already under their noses.

He said: “We’ve been there and tried different managers – [Jose] Mourinho, [Louis] van Gaal, [Erik] ten Hag and [Ruben] Amorim – and for me Carrick makes sense. Not because we’ve played together and we’re friends, but because he is a real calming influence.

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“Having someone there who knows the club and cares for the club makes a big difference. Michael is managing the whole squad and managing them well.

“The players who are starting, they’re fine, you don’t have to manage them, but the other lads – we’ve seen the impact on [Matheus] Cunha, [Benjamin] Sesko, [Harry] Maguire, [Lisandro] Martinez. He’s having an impact on the whole squad and football club.

“Sometimes we’re quick to overlook what’s right there in front of you and say we’ve got this manager from Turkey or from Spain, who is going to come in and do this, when they have no interest in the football club.

“At least [with Carrick] this will give the foundations for the club to keep building, when in two or three years’ time the infrastructure will be back at the club.”

These remarks outline Rooney’s clear belief in Carrick as a head coach. This isn’t a recent development either, as the 40-year-old warned people to not take him lightly when he was appointed.

Speaking on the BBC’s Wayne Rooney Show podcast, Rooney explained: “Michael’s great fun. He is a great character, but don’t be fooled by how calm he looks. He can have fun as well, but make no mistake, he’d be going in there now with full focus.”

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Carrick has evidently been warmly welcomed in the dressing room, securing the Premier League Manager of the Month award and receiving considerable praise from his first-team squad. Maguire said: “I had no surprises when he came in and the way that he spoke in his first meeting and the way the sessions have gone.

“And I do think he’s got a great, great staff with him. He takes most sessions. He still does demos in passing drills and he still bangs it through the lines like he’s still got it.”

Speaking to TNT Sports, club captain Bruno Fernandes added: “Michael came in with the right ideas of giving the players the responsibility, but also some freedom to take the responsibility on the pitch during the decisions that are needed.”

Manchester United are unbeaten in their first five matches under Michael Carrick, a run that included four victories.

Amad has revealed that Michael Carrick keeps reiterating to the Manchester United players before games that they are playing for the fans as well as themselves. Carrick has lifted the mood at Old Trafford after he was appointed head coach until the end of the season following Ruben Amorim’s exit.

The interim head coach has been in the dugout for five matches and has led the Reds to four victories, including wins against Manchester City and Arsenal.

On an episode of the Inside Carrington podcast, Amad revealed what life has been like under Carrick since his return to the club. “I think having Michael Carrick as head coach in the team is very important because he knows the club,” the winger explained.

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“He’s the main man who can tell us [about] the club we are playing for. Before the games he keeps telling us: ‘You guys, you are playing for yourself, but you’re playing also for the fans,’ and he’s telling us the fans are very important for us.

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“We are also playing for the fans because we want to win and we want to give them something back. Having Carrick is very enjoyable and we enjoy the training. He’s a nice guy. He talks with everyone and I’m so lucky because I know him already – he was here when I arrived, when I was 18.

“I also played against him when he was in the Championship, so I know him since a long time and he’s a nice guy.” Whether Carrick’s popularity with the United fanbase and players will see him appointed permanently remains to be seen.

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United will appoint a permanent head coach in the summer. Oliver Glasner is an option for the Reds, having confirmed he would be leaving Crystal Palace at the end of the season.

England head coach Thomas Tuchel looks to be out of the running after he signed a new contract with England that will take him to Euro 2028. Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti and Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann have also been linked but the World Cup this summer would complicate any approach.

Michael Carrick aims to maintain his unbeaten run during this tenure as Manchester United manager when his team heads to Everton next week

Michael Carrick and Manchester United are benefiting from an extended spell without fixtures after their early exit from the FA Cup. Following their elimination under Darren Fletcher’s stewardship, United found themselves without a match over the weekend.

Attention turns instead to their upcoming Premier League encounter against Everton. By the time they return to action, United will have had 13 days since their 1-1 stalemate with West Ham.

Carrick will be aiming to extend his unbeaten streak, having overseen five matches without defeat thus far, including victories over Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham. Currently, he holds the position until the campaign’s conclusion, but his brilliant beginning has already sparked considerable demands for his appointment beyond the summer.

One manager who has been suggested as a potential successor is Luis Enrique. However, the prospect of his arrival has now been dismissed by a club legend. The Manchester Evening News delivers the latest developments from Old Trafford.

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Luis Enrique prospect dismissed

United legend Wayne Rooney was questioned about who he’d prefer to see permanently replace Amorim and he backed Carrick. The England icon also downplayed the influence a manager such as PSG boss Enrique would bring.

“I think with Luis Enrique, I’ve been there and we’ve tried different managers. We tried [Jose] Mourinho and [Louis] van Gaal,” said Rooney on The Overlap Fan Debate.

“Then we tried the likes of [Erik] ten Hag and [Ruben] Amorim and they don’t work. I just think Carrick makes sense. I felt that from the minute I knew he was going in.

“He’s a real calming influence. I think we’re sometimes quick to overlook what’s right here in front of us and say, ‘We’ve got this manager from Turkey or Spain who is going to come in and do this.’

“But actually they’ve got no interest in the football club. At least this will give the foundations for the club to keep building. The infrastructure will be back at the football club.”

Club responds to Jurgen Klopp claims

Elsewhere on the managerial front, the representative of former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp made a bombshell claim on Monday, suggesting that both Chelsea and United approached the German following his departure from Anfield.

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Klopp departed in 2024 following a silverware-filled eight-year spell. His representative, Marc Kosicke, now alleges that both the London side and United subsequently sounded out Klopp.

However, sources tell MEN Sport that the club has dismissed claims of approaching Klopp. United rejected the suggestion they ever made contact with the manager either directly or via a third party. Chelsea are also understood to have issued a denial.

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