Michael Carrick admits ‘clarity is important’ on Manchester United future but wait goes on

Michael Carrick says clarity on who will be in charge of Manchester United next season is important but admits the matter is out of his hands. The interim head coach secured Champions League football last Sunday but has yet to be told whether he has done enough to land the job on a permanent basis.

United travel to Sunderland on Saturday in third place and Carrick is guaranteed only two matches after that. It is expected he will be offered the post beyond this season, but he has heard nothing.

Carrick said: “Clarity is important … We’ve finished strong, put ourselves in a good position and the situation of my role and what it looks like moving forward, I think it’s just the natural time. It was always spoken about towards the end of the season, if not the end of the season.”

Since Carrick took over, United have collected more points than any other team in the Premier League, winning 10 of his 14 matches. “At this stage it’s just putting the boys in a place to finish the season strongly and then, as I’ve said all along, I’m calm about it,” he said. “It’ll get sorted out when it’s going to get sorted out. It’s out of my hands, so we’ll see what happens.”

Carrick will attend the FA Youth Cup final next Thursday when United face Manchester City at the Joie Stadium after City decided to use the 7,000-capacity ground rather than the Etihad Stadium. United offered to host at Old Trafford but City turned that down. Carrick won the competition with West Ham in 1999 and knows the influence it can have on a teenager’s career.

“Getting to the Youth Cup final always seems to have always been a thing where you play at the main stadium and it’s such a showcase event for players of that age group. So we’re disappointed. I think I’ve had some amazing memories, some of my best memories, in that competition of playing with your close mates and it’s a shame that it hasn’t worked out for whatever reason … I’m sure the game itself will be good and I’m looking forward to going and watching, supporting the boys.”

United confirmed on Thursday that Sir Dave Brailsford had left the board. A longstanding Sir Jim Ratcliffe ally, he joined as a director when the Ineos owner invested in the club and played a significant role behind the scenes in the early stages, but scaled back his work last summer and has now severed ties.