Man Utd: Cole Palmer provides switch reply as Michael Carrick advised to vary perspective
Manchester United have pressing issues ahead of the summer window, with Michael Carrick’s future and major transfers on the agenda for the club
Michael Carrick’s Manchester United future beyond the end of the season remains unknown
Manchester United will be desperate to avoid another blow in their pursuit of Champions League qualification when they travel to Chelsea on Saturday.
The Red Devils must recover after being shocked at home by Leeds United, who claimed their first league triumph at Old Trafford in 45 years on Monday. With fifth place set to guarantee Champions League football once more, third-placed United remain in a strong position. Yet defeat in west London would hand Chelsea a lifeline, having tumbled to sixth during a dreadful spell under Liam Rosenior.
Even should Champions League qualification be secured, interim manager Michael Carrick may need to achieve it with flair to boost his prospects of landing the role permanently. Numerous questions require answers both on and off the field over the coming weeks, with United expected to be active in the transfer window this summer. Here’s all the latest news from Old Trafford.
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Carrick urged to channel Ferguson
Carrick requires a ruthless edge similar to Sir Alex Ferguson. That’s the view of former United winger Lee Sharpe, who featured under the club’s legendary manager during the 1990s.
Sharpe reckons Carrick must be tougher on the players when they fall short, as they did versus Leeds, reports the Mirror. He told BetWright: “Sir Alex Ferguson was completely different. He ruled through fear.
“He came in and scared everyone to death and had an aggressive team. The spine of his team was unmatched. He was on top of everyone and that drew out the success from the team.
“You can’t argue with Sir Alex’s record as manager. Ideally, Carrick should take a bit of aggression from Sir Alex to give the players a kick up the backside on occasion, which is what they needed during and after the Leeds game.”
Cole Palmer speaks
Cole Palmer has laughed off claims he could leave Chelsea for United.
The 23-year-old midfielder is a former Manchester City player but was a boyhood United fan growing up in Manchester. Yet he has insisted he doesn’t want to return home from London, as “there’s nothing there for me anyway”.
The England star, whose contract at Stamford Bridge runs to 2033, told The Guardian: “Everyone just talks. When I see it I just laugh. Obviously Manchester is my home. All my family are there, but I don’t miss it.
“Maybe I’ll miss it if I don’t go for three months or something. But then when I get home I think there’s nothing there for me anyway.
“I’ve got no plans to move from Chelsea. We’ve still got a lot to play for. We’ve got the FA Cup semi-final [against Leeds] and if we finish in a Champions League spot it puts us in a good position to sign players that we need.
“We spoke to the owners and they’re sure of the players that are gonna do it. Reece [James] won’t sign a six-year contract if he’s not spoken to the owners and the directors.
“Me and Reece spoke a lot. About things we need, players we need to sign and how things need to be. He wouldn’t sign a new contract if he didn’t know what was going on.”
Rashford suffers transfer blow
Barcelona are continuing to hesitate over whether to secure Marcus Rashford permanently this summer.
The Catalan club have the opportunity to convert his loan stint from United into a full transfer for £26million. Nevertheless, according to Marca, they are yet to reach a final verdict as uncertainty is setting in.
Barca’s strategy to acquire Rashford, 28, has “cooled off” and is “close to being ruled out” amid worries over the England striker’s displays since the new year began, it’s reported.
He has managed just two goals in his previous 16 outings and has struggled to capitalise on positional competitor Raphinha’s absence from the side through injury.
Barca are believed to be considering whether the pre-agreed sum could be utilised more effectively elsewhere.
Following their Champions League elimination to Atletico Madrid, Barca don’t feature again until Wednesday, when they welcome Celta Vigo in La Liga.
