Michael Carrick has emerged as the favourite candidate to be Manchester United’s interim manager for the rest of the season ahead of Ole Gunnar Solskjær after the interview process, with the club’s executive expected to finalise the decision on Monday.
While Omar Berrada, the chief executive, and Jason Wilcox, the director of football, are understood to have not made a formal offer, they are leaning towards Carrick, sources have informed the Guardian. This follows both Carrick and Solskjær having face-to-face discussions with the hierarchy. Berrada and Wilcox met Carrick on Thursday and Solskjær on Saturday at the club’s Carrington training ground.
Solskjær was originally viewed as the prime candidate to return to United to take up a position he held from December 2018 to March 2019, before being made permanent manager until November 2021 – but now Carrick has edged ahead of him.
Berrada and Wilcox want to give whoever is appointed the maximum time to prepare for the visit of Manchester City to Old Trafford for the derby on Saturday.
The development comes after Darren Fletcher admitted he was in the dark about his immediate future as United’s caretaker manager after taking charge of the 2‑1 FA Cup third‑round defeat by Brighton on Sunday. This was his second game in temporary charge, after the 2-2 league draw at Burnley on Wednesday.
He said: “I’ve had no discussions. I have to report tomorrow morning to Carrington, that is all I know. I will find out tomorrow morning. I have had zero indications. All my focus has been on this [Burnley and Brighton]. It is a massive responsibility to lead this club and I have given it my best and I am disappointed not to win a game. I think there are some good things there but ultimately it wasn’t enough. I am more disappointed than anyone.”
The FA Cup elimination means the 13-time winners have been dumped from the competition and the League Cup at the first opportunity for a first time since 1981-82 so will play only 40 games this season – their lowest number in a complete campaign in 111 years. Fletcher said: “That is where we are at. We can’t hide behind that.”
With United seventh on 32 points, three behind Liverpool in the fourth place that guarantees qualification, Fletcher admitted the squad’s confidence was low but urged that the season not be thrown away. “You can see that the players are fragile and they need to build themselves up because it’s up to them now – they have got to respond,” he 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.”
“True character reveals itself in difficult times and we learned a lot about the players. They have to dig in, show they want to be part of Man United’s future and ultimately if you are not, I don’t think you should be here. They are experienced players, talented players and I challenge them to regroup. It’s over to them.
“Someone is going to come in and lead them, they need to make sure they have a lot to play for this season. This team is still good enough to achieve success this season but they have got to dig deep and find a way within themselves.”
Another former United player had a good day, Danny Welbeck having a hand in Brighton’s first and scoring the second, with Benjamin Sesko’s late header the only response, which was his eighth goal against his former club.
Fabian Hürzeler, Brighton’s manager, said of Welbeck: “I think to describe him best is to say that he is a role model on the pitch [and] beside it [a] great connector. He is a great goalscorer, he is there in the right moment. He missed a big chance but good goalscorers never give up, they are always ready.”
