Michael Carrick has emerged as the leading candidate to be appointed as Manchester United's caretaker head coach, with club officials aiming to finalize an appointment before players return to training on Wednesday. While a definitive decision is still pending, discussions with the 44-year-old are reported to have advanced significantly regarding the interim position.

Carrick is not new to the role, having previously served a three-game tenure as United's temporary boss in 2021 following the dismissal of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. During that period, he achieved two wins and one draw before departing upon the arrival of Ralf Rangnick as interim manager.

This managerial shift comes after Manchester United sacked Ruben Amorim as manager on January 5, after he had been in the job for 14 months. Following Amorim's departure, Darren Fletcher, a former United and Scotland midfielder, was initially given temporary responsibility for first-team affairs.

Fletcher's interim period appears to be concluding after what looks set to be his second and final game in charge, a Sunday FA Cup third-round defeat at the hands of Brighton. Prior to this, he led the team to a draw against struggling Burnley in the Premier League last Wednesday. In other developments, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reportedly held face-to-face discussions with the club on Saturday concerning a potential return to the club.