Manchester United could announce a new interim head coach as early as today, with Michael Carrick now the leading contender ahead of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The club's hierarchy, including director of football Jason Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrarda, have held meetings with both candidates before reaching their decision.
Carrick, a former Manchester United midfielder and ex-Middlesbrough manager, held talks on Thursday, while Solskjaer met with the pair over the weekend at Carrington. The club is keen to appoint an interim boss swiftly to allow preparation for the Manchester derby against City at Old Trafford this Saturday.
If appointed, Carrick faces a significant challenge. The squad has been eliminated from both domestic cup competitions and can now only secure European football through league performance. Interim manager Darren Fletcher, who has been in charge since Ruben Amorim's dismissal, painted a bleak picture after Sunday's 2-1 FA Cup defeat to Brighton.
"You can see that the players are fragile and they need to build themselves up," Fletcher said. "Confidence is one of the most powerful things in football. When you don't have confidence, you have to dig deep – and you have to battle, grind, fight, work, win games – and then the confidence comes back."
Fletcher admitted he has no indication of the club's plans, adding: "I've had zero indication... I've gave it my best and ultimately I'm disappointed not to win a game." He has a meeting scheduled at Carrington on Monday morning.
