Bryan Mbeumo is in Africa Cup of Nations action tonightplaceholder image
Bryan Mbeumo is in Africa Cup of Nations action tonight | Middle East Images/AFP via Getty
Man Utd will appoint a caretaker head coach to lead the club until the end of the season.
Manchester United are set to be handed an early selection boost and one blow today, ahead of their derby clash with Man City next week.
The immediate focus is on United's home match with Brighton in the FA Cup this weekend, which could prove to be Darren Fletcher’s final game as interim head coach. Fletcher was appointed temporarily to lead United this week, with the plan to hire a new caretaker head coach who will lead the club until the end of the season.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick are the two standout candidates for the caretaker role, while Fletcher is considered an outside shot and is effectively on audition right now in his interim position. United then plan to hire a permanent successor to Ruben Amorim at the end of the season and does not want to rush their decision on who to appoint.
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United set for Man City selection boost and blow today
Darren Fletcher will speak to the media on Friday afternoon as he holds what is expected to be his final pre-match press conference as Manchester United interim head coach. The 41-year-old will lead United against Brighton on Sunday afternoon, but is not expected to be in charge of the club when they take on Man City the following week.
The Manchester derby meeting could be the first match under a caretaker head coach, and they are set to receive a selection boost for the match later today. United were without just four senior players for their midweek draw against Burnley but are set to have at least one of those players back to face City a week on Saturday.
United still have three players away at the Africa Cup of Nations, but one of them is certain to exit the tournament at the quarter-final stage. Cameroon face hosts Morocco in the second knockout round on Friday night, which means either Bryan Mbeumo or Noussair Mazraoui will exit the competition. Whoever loses will likely be given a couple of days off before returning to Manchester early next week and begin preparations for the Manchester derby.
The other United involvement is on Saturday night when Amad Diallo will be involved as Ivory Coast take on Egypt for a place in the last four of the competition. If they lose that match, then the United caretaker boss could also expect to have Amad available when they face Man City next weekend. The semi-final fixtures both take place on Wednesday 14 January, and any player who reaches that stage will be certain to miss the Manchester derby match due to the fact that there is a third-place play-off for the tournament on Saturday 17 January and the final on Sunday 18 January.
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