Michael Carrick insisted he was not listening to the likes of former team-mate Wayne Rooney after the clamour for him to get the Manchester United job long term increased following Sunday’s 3-1 win over Aston Villa.
Carrick focused on Champions League qualification
Bruno Fernandes became only the third United player in the Premier League era to reach 100 goals and 100 assists – joining Rooney and Ryan Giggs – as he set up goals for Casemiro and Matheus Cunha either side of a Ross Barkley equaliser, with Benjamin Sesko getting the hosts’ third.
A seventh win in nine games for Carrick put them six points clear of sixth-placed Chelsea, firmly in the driving seat for a Champions League place, and led Rooney to say on BBC Radio 5 Live that the former midfielder should “100 per cent” get the job.
Carrick shrugged off the compliment, saying: “There’s not that much noise, is there? I don’t mean Wayne, just in general. It’s only noise if you listen to it.
“It doesn’t affect me one bit, to be honest. I’m in this position at the moment, doing the best I can, loving it, obviously, and we keep pushing for more. We want to make the team as good as possible and keep improving. Whatever is going to happen is going to happen.”
United will have some difficult squad decisions to deal with come the summer, with Marcus Rashford agreeing terms on a permanent move to Barcelona this week, while there are still question marks over the futures of Casemiro and Harry Maguire.
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It will go down as pure profit for INEOS.
The Brazilian is expected to leave, but his improved form under Carrick has raised concerns about the gap his departure would leave in the squad.
In the dugout, Carrick is seen as one of the frontrunners for the permanent gig, but faces competition from the likes of Roberto De Zerbi, Julian Nagelsmann and Oliver Glasner.
Man Utd manager candidates Odds
Michael Carrick 10/11
Oliver Glasner 8/1
Julian Nagelsmann 14/1
Roberto De Zerbi 16/1
Gareth Southgate 20/1
De Zerbi wants Manchester United job
Olympique de Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi reacts
According to an update from TeamTalk this week, not only is De Zerbi on INEOS' shortlist, but the Marseille boss is himself 'keen' on a move to Manchester United.
His side are third in Ligue 1 and set to qualify for the Champions League next season, so United's own race to finish in the top four feels crucial if they are to lure him to Old Trafford, but it seems both parties are open to the switch.
And he's already got a fan in the man who could soon be his biggest rival - Liverpool manager Arne Slot:
“I see him as one of the best coaches in the world. In my opinion, you shouldn’t always be judged by the number of trophies you win, but also by the way your teams play.”
De Zerbi has won a couple of trophies early in his career with Italian side Foggia and Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk, but is best known in England for his spell with Brighton, where it was his fluid attacking football that caught the eye.
De-Zerbi-Brighton-record-timeless
Likened to Mauricio Pochettino in terms of style, another man who has often been linked with the United post, the Italian will have some serious work to do to outshine the start Carrick has made.