Friday’s briefing: Carrick steps up preparations for first game at Man Utd

Manchester United co-owners Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Joel Glazer and Avram Glazer met at Carrington on Thursday as Michael Carrick stepped up preparations for his first match as head coach.

Gary Neville, though, maintains United cannot consider keeping his former team-mate in the job beyond the end of the season as Roy Keane called on the club to go for the “best of the best”.

And Thomas Frank believes Tottenham are taking small steps in the right direction.

Man Utd co-owners meet at Carrington

Manchester United co-owners Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Joel Glazer and Avram Glazer met at Carrington on Thursday as Michael Carrick gears up to face Manchester City in his first match as head coach.

Ruben Amorim’s sacking last week – after 14 underwhelming and increasingly acrimonious months –saw Darren Fletcher temporarily parachuted in before another ex-Red Devils midfielder took the reins.

Carrick was named United boss for the remainder of the season on Tuesday and two days later, Ratcliffe was in town along with Joel and Avram Glazer for a scheduled executive committee meeting.

The Press Association understands the club moved it to Manchester to ensure leadership were onsite to support the new manager and minimise disruption ahead of his first game in charge.

The trio arrived on the back of fraught fortnight at United as anger bubbles within the fanbase, with The 1958 group planning a protest against the ownership ahead of the Premier League home match against Fulham on February 1.

Gary Neville not keen on a long stay for Carrick

Gary Neville says Manchester United cannot consider keeping Carrick as head coach beyond the end of the season as Roy Keane called on his former club to go for the “best of the best”.

Carrick faces Manchester City on Saturday lunchtime as he begins his quest to seal Champions League qualification and Neville is “quite emphatic” that his old team-mate cannot be given the job beyond this campaign whatever happens.

“I hope he does really well,” Neville said on Stick to Football. “There cannot be any consideration that Michael takes the job beyond this season, for Michael and for the club.

“If he wins every game, look, we could be sat here in the season where he’s done unbelievably well, and we’re always thinking the fans are up and they’re in the Champions League places, fifth or whatever. It could happen if there’s a good run and we could all be getting swayed with it.

“I honestly feel like (you have to look at others) at the end of the season when you’ve got (Mauricio) Pochettino, (Thomas) Tuchel and (Carlo) Ancelotti.

Former captain Keane mentioned Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone and Paris St Germain head coach Luis Enrique as potential options – and snapped back when Neville suggested the latter was unrealistic.

Keane said: “But isn’t that bizarre, we’re talking about options and you’re ruling people out, but United should be thinking ‘let’s try and get the best of the best’.”

Thomas Frank feels Spurs moving forward

Thomas Frank believes Tottenham are taking small steps in the right direction after a busy week at the club with the services of “unbelievable” Conor Gallagher secured.

Frank experienced more boos after Spurs’ 2-1 FA Cup loss to Aston Villa on Saturday, which made it seven defeats in 13, but the faith of the club in the Danish coach has been evident this week.

Tottenham completed the signing of England international Gallagher from Atletico Madrid in a 40million euros (£34.7million) deal on Tuesday and two days later Frank hired John Heitinga as his new assistant first-team coach to replace Matt Wells.

Whilst Fabio Paratici’s impending departure to Fiorentina at the end of the winter transfer window has been confirmed, Spurs also this week announced the appointment of City Football Group chief Carlos Raphael ‘Rafi’ Moersen as director of football operations.

Even though Spurs are 14th in the Premier League ahead of Saturday’s visit of London rivals West Ham, Frank is defiant in his belief he will get time.

“I’m very aware of how this football world works, no doubt about that. I know that we haven’t got enough of the result we want,” Frank reflected.

“I can just see the small step we’re constantly doing. I still refer to the last six games with more positive, consistent performances. Not perfect, but there’s some good signs.”

What’s on today?

Carrick will hold a press conference at Carrington on Friday afternoon.

Several other managers are scheduled to address the media ahead of the weekend’s Premier League action, with Eddie Howe and Arne Slot up in the morning along with Mikel Arteta and then Pep Guardiola set to speak later.

Friday night’s live action in the Sky Bet Championship sees West Brom host promotion-chasers Middlesbrough in a first match for new Baggies boss Eric Ramsay while in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup, Rangers take on League Two side Annan at Ibrox.