Manchester United are in detailed discussions with Michael Carrick about the role of interim head coach, with the former midfielder now in pole position to take on the job for the remainder of the season.
Further talks are planned with Carrick and his representatives on Monday – no such talks are on the agenda for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as things stand.
However, United bosses have made no final decisions, and Solskjaer remains an option.
United hope to have an interim in place by the end of Tuesday following Ruben Amorim’s sacking on January 6, so that they can take charge of training on Wednesday and begin the preparations for the Manchester derby, live on Sky Sports, on January 17.
Over the last few days, both Carrick and Solskjaer have met with Jason Wilcox, United’s director of football, who is leading the process to appoint a new boss.
Carrick and Solskjaer were both candidates for the role and both former United players have met with the club’s bosses and made their pitches for the job.
Sky Sports News has been told Carrick was particularly impressive with his plans for the remainder of the season in those meetings, but there is also an awareness of how popular Solskjaer was during his previous stint as head coach.
The current short-term interim head coach, Darren Fletcher, said after the 2-1 defeat by Brighton in the FA Cup that he has now reached the end of his agreed period in charge of the first team, and he will report to the Carrington Training Centre on Monday to find out what the club want from him next.
United only have the Premier League to focus on now, having been knocked out of both cup competitions, and so the focus for the new interim head coach will be to qualify for European football next season.
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Neville: Solskjaer return would be like Groundhog Day
Sky Sports’ Gary Neville on a potential return for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer:
“They put Ryan [Giggs] in charge 10 years ago, then Ole came in charge and you go back to the old boys, then you go for a new one, then you go for more experience.
“It is almost like a cycle, like a movie we have all seen before and Groundhog Day.
“What I do think is Ole is someone who absolutely loves the club, he knows the job, he has been in the job.”
A 40 game season: What is left to play for?
The final whistle against Brighton was met with a few boos, then stunned silence. Just where do Manchester United go from here?
One statistic flew around United’s FA Cup defeat to Brighton. 40 games – that is how long United’s season will be. Their shortest season since the 1914-15 campaign, where there were no cup games due to the First World War.
Defeat to Grimsby in the Carabao Cup second round, then a first ever defeat to Brighton in the FA Cup also made it the first time United have been knocked out the two domestic cup competitions at the first hurdle since the 1981-82 season.
That was not the only déjà vu United experienced on Sunday night. Another was Danny Welbeck. The last time United had 45 games or less in the season was 11 years ago, when Welbeck scored a FA Cup winner in a 2-1 win at Old Trafford for Arsenal. Sounds familiar.
And with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick the two main contenders for the United interim job – having held those positions in the past – it’s one nod to the past too many. So what does the future hold?
Read the full feature here…
Saturday 17th January 11:00am
Kick off 12:30pm
Man Utd’s next five fixtures
- January 17: Man City (H) – Premier League, kick-off 12.30pm, live on Sky Sports
- January 25: Arsenal (A) – Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports
- February 1: Fulham (H) – Premier League, kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports
- February 7: Tottenham (H) – Premier League, kick-off 12.30pm
- February 10: West Ham (A) – Premier League, kick-off 8.15pm
