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I’m surprised Michael Carrick was given the Man United job given what I know about him

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EXCLUSIVE: Michael Carrick has been a breath of fresh air since taking over as caretaker manager at Manchester United, but one former team-mate had his reservations

Jermain Defoe is stunned at how impressive Michael Carrick has been at Manchester United due to his former team-mate’s unassuming demeanour.

Carrick has been an instant hit at United, winning six out of seven games and going undefeated throughout. This run of form earned him the Premier League manager of the month award in January, and fans have been calling for his permanent appointment come the summer.

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However, his former Tottenham and England colleague Defoe didn’t expect this sudden impact at United. The 43-year-old, who will be starring at Soccer Aid 2026 at the London Stadium, was left surprised at just how well the team are performing under the man he perceived to be a quiet and reserved character.

Speaking exclusively to the Manchester Evening News, Defoe said: “He’s just a family man. He’s just quiet and loved his football.

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“I have to be honest, obviously knowing Michael and how quiet he was, I wouldn’t have looked at him and been like, you know what, you’d be like… I wouldn’t say he wouldn’t have been a manager, but you can’t imagine him being a coach and really giving it to players.”

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Despite this uncertainty, there is one thing Defoe is adamant Carrick possesses that boosts his credentials at United. He added: “But I think what he has got is he’s got a winning mentality, of course, because he’s only ever been in elite environments.

“And obviously he got to move to Man United and done what he’d done there. And now that transition to then become a coach or a manager, it’s never easy.

“But to see him go in and do what he’s done for such a massive football club, and I know he’s played there before and he’s been involved, he’s been assistant manager and all that sort of stuff, but still to go in and do what he’s done, it’s been amazing.

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“And for me, it’s just so nice to see it, because I know Michael, it’s so nice to see it.”

This winning mindset has clearly dripped down to the current United squad. Many players have commented on the positive impact Carrick has had, with club captain Bruno Fernandes one of those to have publicly backed the boss.

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He said: “I think Michael came in with the right ideas of giving the players the responsibility. He’s very good with the words. I think he still remembers what I told him the last time he was our manager for our last game. I was sure that Michael could be a great manager, and he’s just showing it.”

Harry Maguire recently praised Carrick’s continued knack for football in training. During an episode of Inside Carrington, the defender said: “He still does demos in passing drills and he still bangs it through the lines like he’s still got it.

“He was doing the demos the other day, and I think he did two passes. Everyone did about 300. I think his two were the best I’ve seen out of them all. But no, he’s still got it. And he’s really hands-on in training.”

Soccer Aid for UNICEF takes place on Sunday 31st May at the London Stadium. Adult tickets start from £20 and juniors from £10: socceraid.org.uk/tickets

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Shakur Stevenson makes weight class decision that rules out major fights

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Shakur Stevenson has rejected the proposed terms for one particular fight, potentially distancing himself from several of his most lucrative options.

The 28-year-old is coming off arguably a career-best performance against Teofimo Lopez, claiming his WBO super-lightweight title with a dominant points victory in January.

In doing so, Stevenson not only became a four-division world champion but also cemented himself as a top five pound-for-pound operator, alongside the likes of Oleksandr Usyk and Naoya Inoue.

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Because of this, though, many have questioned whether the slick southpaw will ever be beaten, suggesting that a move up to 147lbs could be his only hope at finding a worthy challenge. Stevenson has said recently that he would do it so long as any opponent would sign a 10lbs rehydration clause.

If he decides to do just that, then most would regard WBO welterweight champion Devin Haney as his toughest test, though Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn have also been mentioned as possible options.

Immediately after his victory over Lopez, Stevenson came face to face with Benn, while Garcia called out the American following his WBC title triumph over Mario Barrios earlier this month.

For both potential fights, Stevenson has demanded a 144lb catchweight limit, to which Garcia verbally agreed ahead of his showdown with Barrios.

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Since then, though, the 27-year-old’s father and trainer, Henry Garcia, has insisted that Stevenson must come up to 147lbs, but the super-lightweight champion has told ALL THE SMOKE FIGHT that this is strictly out of the question.

“I think [Garcia is] serious. I think he [does] want the fight. I just think that everything gotta work well in the business, everything gotta make sense.

“Before the [Barrios] fight, I heard them saying they’ll fight me at 144[lbs]. Then, after the fight, I’m hearing 147[lbs].

“I’m not going up to 147 no time soon. I think that will be my last weight class that I’m in. I don’t think that, at 28 years old right now, I’m just going [to go] up to 147.”

Benn has not commented on a possible 144lb catchweight but, given that he is facing Regis Prograis at 150lbs on April 11, it would seem that, for him, such a request is hardly worth considering.

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If Stevenson is dead set against a full move to welterweight, it will also likely rule out a fight with Devin Haney, who has said he felt ‘a shell of himself’ at weights lower.

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Yall be scratched and beat tf up

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Rapper Doechii doubled down on her anti-cat comments on social media, stirring the ire of cat lovers by claiming that the felines are not friendly animals and don’t want to be domesticated. The Grammy-winning rapper’s comments came via her Threads account on March 2, where she shared her thoughts about people owning cats as pets.

She further suggested that it was very rare for cats to be “immediately lovely without years of pain and work put in,” adding:

“People act like it’s a crime to dislike cats when they genuinely aren’t friendly animals. They don’t wanna be domestic just leave em alone! Like it’s not organic I’m sorrryyy be fr it’s rare that cats are immediately lovey without years of pain and work put in. Yall be scratched and beat tf up by your own animals I can’t lmaooo.”

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Doechii‘s comments garnered immense backlash, prompting her to stand her ground as she responded to various comments under her initial post. She posted a video of Tiffany Pollard saying, “You hating a** b***h, all fraudulent,” to the audience on Flavor of Love in 2006, captioning it, “Me vs Cat owners.”

According to Complex, the rapper hit back at various criticisms under her post. When one commentator indicated that maybe cats didn’t like her, she responded, “It’s mutual.” Meanwhile, another person claimed the rapper had responded to all comments trying to educate her about cats with “passive aggressive bulls**t,” suggesting she had “pure disdain” for the creatures.

The rapper replied that the user was getting “TOO worked up” over the issue, adding, “The world will be fine if Doechii thinks cats are mean.” Another user accused her of spreading common misconceptions surrounding cats to justify her dislike for the felines, resulting in the Denial Is A River rapper replying with:

“I did! And they aren’t misconceptions these are most definitely true and happen errday you CANNOT trick me. If i tell a cat owner to lift they arm sleeve rn they’ll be tore up.”


Doechii recently won her second Grammy

Doechii picked up her second Grammy after her hit song Anxiety won Best Music Video at the prestigious music awards ceremony on February 1, 2026. This is her second Grammy win. In 2025, the rapper made history by becoming one of three women to win Best Rap Album for her mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal, following Laryn Hill and Cardi B.

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“I don’t want to make this long. But this category was introduced in 1989, and two women have won. Lauryn Hill—three women have won. Lauryn Hill, Cardi B, and Doechii. I put my heart and my soul into this mixtape. I bared my life. I went through so much. I dedicated myself to sobriety, and God told me that I would be rewarded and that he would show me just how good it can get. I have to thank God,” Doechii said in her acceptance speech.

She further encouraged Black girls and Black women watching her that anything was possible, telling them not to bow down to stereotypes such as “you can’t be here, that you’re too dark, or that you’re not smart enough, or that you’re too dramatic, or you’re too loud.”


Doechii’s Anxiety was nominated in four other categories at the 2026 Grammys, including Song of the Year, Best Rap Song, and Record of the Year. Song of the Year went to Billie Eilish’s Wildflower, while Record of the Year was won by Kendrick Lamar‘s Luther, featuring SZA. Lamar also won Best Rap Song for TV Off from his 2024 album GNX.