Manchester United news LIVE: Lucien Favre and Rudi Garcia interview for interim job
Michael Carrick guided the Red Devils to victory in Spain over Villarreal as interim manager, securing a place in the last 16 of the Champions League
Manchester United won their first match of the post-Ole Gunnar Solskjaer era on Tuesday night as Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho scored in a 2-0 victory at Villarreal.
Michael Carrick made a few tweaks to the starting line-up but saw his side frustrated for the first hour, with David de Gea making a vital save. However, the introduction of Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford from the bench sparked United into life and the victory ensured they will advance to the knockout stages.
Meanwhile, in the background, United’s manager search rumbles on. Mauricio Pochettino is reported to be at the head of that queue though, with The Independent learning that the former Tottenham and Southampton boss is keen to take over at Old Trafford - and could even do so mid-season.
If it can’t happen until summer and United follow the interim boss route until then as they announced, Ernesto Valverde is one of the leading candidates for the post with Lucien Favre and Rudi Garcia also being conside.
Follow all the latest updates and reaction from El Madrigal, plus United’s search for both an interim boss and a long-term solution:
Next Manchester United manager: Mauricio Pochettino approach rejected
Manchester United have been knocked back in their initial approach to Paris Saint-Germain, report the Manchester Evening News.
The Argentine is set to coach PSG against Man City tonight in the Champions League.
And the former Spurs boss is thought to be keen on a return to the Premier League.
The 49-year-old is thought to be unsettled in Paris and rather than instal an interim for the remainder of the season, United sense they can appoint a long-term coach mid-season.
Next Manchester United Manager: Luis Enrique backed by Owen Hargreaves
“I think [Pochettino] commands respect, I think he demands work from the players. But all these names are great names,” Hargreaves told BT Sport.
“Brendan has great experience in the league. Zidane, surely the language barrier has got to be a thing. Ten Hag has done unbelievable with Ajax, but they’re the best team in Holland – is he going to be able to dominate the ball over here in the Premier League like he does in Holland?
“I think one name that’s not on there, which I’d like to see, is Luis Enrique. If you manage a big football club like Barcelona, and you won the treble there, and then you can go and take a pretty average team to a semi-final [of Euro 2020] in Spain, I think that’s the type of guy [United need].
“And he’s only managing the national team, so I think he could come in and do the job now.
“And I think he would transform United from a good team into a great team.”
Next Manchester United Manager Odds
Via Betfair
Mauricio Pochettino 6/4
Ernesto Valverde 9/2
Michael Carrick 6/1
Rudi Garcia 10/1
Brendan Rodgers 12/1
Erik ten Hag 14/1
Ralf Rangnick 14/1
Diego Simeone 17/1
Luis Enrique 33/1
Zinedine Zidane 33/1
Laurent Blanc 40/1
Donny van de Beek among Manchester United players set to reconsider desire to leave
Donny van de Beek, Dean Henderson, Anthony Martial, Eric Bailly, Alex Telles and Diogo Dalot are all willing to reconsider their desire to leave Manchester United.
Mail Sport believe that group will hang around at Old Trafford if a permanent manager is hired.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s departure has not changed Jesse Lingard’s mind though, with the England international keen for a fresh start.
Bruno Fernandes tops Champions League assists
6 - Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United
5 - Antony Matheus dos Santos, Ajax
4 - Leroy Sane, Bayern Munich
3 - Vinicius Jr, Real Madrid
3 - Cristiano da Silva Leite, Sheriff
3 - Kylian Mbappe, PSG
Michael Carrick: Jadon Sancho goal shows Manchester United DNA
“The intercepting for the second goal is what we’ve got in the team,” Carrick said on Jadon Sancho’s goal. “To be able to hit teams on the break and to have those little moments has always been in the DNA of this club and that’s still within the players we have got.
“I’m delighted with both goals, I’m not going to take any credit for that, it’s not about my ideas that one, it’s about the lads working hard together and pulling it off. The efforts, endeavours and application tonight, when they put that together, we’re a good team.”
Michael Carrick impressed with Manchester United’s press
“Yeah of course it did impress me, the pressing one,” Michael Carrick said of the Cristiano Ronaldo goal. “If you look back over time, we have pressed as a team, especially on goal kicks and when the goalkeeper got the ball, we do try to press.
“Sometimes, it hasn’t worked and we haven’t been good enough to do it, but certainly the intention is to do that. When we have changed our approach and, certainly over the last few years, we have tried to implement that the best we can.
“Fred is one of the best around at doing it and I thought he played a massive part in the first goal. Cristiano finishes it off but Fred has done terrific.”
Villarreal vs Manchester United: Bruno Fernandes enhances European numbers
Bruno Fernandes was dropped at Villarreal, but the Portuguese made an impact off the bench, assisting Jadon Sancho for the second goal in the 2-0 win.
It is now 25 appearances in Europe in a Manchester United shirt with 12 assists and 12 goals.
Next Manchester United manager: Steve Bruce backed by Peter Schmeichel
“You have to take small steps, you can’t just jump straight in and say we are going to play a pressing game,” Peter Schmeichel said.
“You can’t do that, the first thing you have to do is give confidence to everybody in the team.
“I just like the idea, if it is an interim, get somebody who knows the club.
“Get somebody who is known by the club as well.
“Get somebody like Steve Bruce, that would be fantastic.”
Jadon Sancho praised by Owen Hargreaves after debut Manchester United goal
"The thing I like about this is Jadon's [Sancho] effort to get up and join. Bruno [Fernandes] come on and had a big impact on the game, his quality in these areas,” Owen Hargreaves
"But I love the fact, Jadon's getting into an area. That was the Jadon Sancho we saw at Borussia Dortmund, that's why they paid that money to make the difference and it was great to see Jadon play in that position, get a bit of confidence to go into the game against Chelsea at the weekend."
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