Manchester United are close to returning to action after a lengthy break, with a Premier League trip to Everton on the horizon for Michael Carrick and his players
After a honeymoon period under interim boss Michael Carrick, the serious business is about to begin for Manchester United. With 12 games remaining in the Premier League, they know what’s needed to secure a place in next season’s Champions League.
Those games are United’s only remaining responsibilities after early exits from both domestic cups. They sit fourth, one point clear of Chelsea and even further ahead of the chasing pack.
That means United’s fate remains in their own hands, with spring games against Chelsea and Liverpool looming large. A fourth place finish may make it harder for the higher-ups to look past Carrick when it comes to appointing a permanent manager in the summer.
We’ve got a Carrick-related update for you today as well as news on former United striker Mason Greenwood. Here’s the latest from around Old Trafford and beyond.
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Greenwood’s Marseille find new boss
Mason Greenwood leads the Ligue 1 scoring charts this season but his club, Marseille, have been in turmoil of late. They will hope that changes with the appointment of a new permanent manager in the form of Habib Beye.
Roberto De Zerbi, who signed Greenwood from Manchester United in 2024, left after Champions League elimination was followed by a 5-0 defeat to rivals Paris Saint-Germain. Jacques Abardonado took temporary charge for one match, a draw at home to Strasbourg, but former L’OM defender Beye will now take over after a spell at Rennes.
“The choice of Habib Beye as OM’s new coach is fully in line with our desire to recruit a coach with the leadership skills needed to take charge of a team that obviously needs to be re-motivated after a difficult period on the pitch,” sporting director Mehdi Benatia said. “From our very first discussions, he struck me as extremely committed and totally focused on the future, with clear objectives for everyone: to quickly get back to winning ways, aim for a place on the Ligue 1 podium and try to win the Coupe de France to give the people of Marseille a trophy.”
Benatia himself had looked to be on the way out amid a chaotic few weeks. However, he was convinced to stick around and oversee the appointment of the new head coach.
Fletcher kept Carrick secret
Darren Fletcher didn’t tell his Under-18 squad that first team boss Michael Carrick was in attendance for their FA Youth Cup win against Oxford. Carrick and assistant Travis Binnion were at the Kassam Stadium as JJ Gabriel was among the goals in a 4-1 away win.
Gabriel, who scored United’s third round winner against Peterborough, helped open up a 2-0 half-time lead after Albert Mills’ opener. Chido Obi made it three after the break and Noah Ajayi rounded off the scoring after Josh Holton briefly gave Oxford hope.
“I’m not sure if they’re aware of it, to be honest,” Fletcher told MUTV when discussing the presence of Carrick and Binnion. “I didn’t want to draw their attention to it and add more pressure, so ultimately it’s just great that they were there.
“Whether the players were aware of it, I’m not sure, we just stayed in our own little bubble and I didn’t want to allude to the fact that the first-team manager was there and the staff were there. I think the biggest thing is they’re there to support and get their eyes on the players and that’s amazing.”
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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games this season, an increase of up to 100 more.