Manchester United interim coach: Michael Carrick and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer are in the lead

Michael Carrick and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have emerged as the front-runners to take over as Manchester United’s interim manager until the end of the season.

The two former players, who previously coached United, are scheduled to hold direct talks with the club leadership.

It is not unlikely that the pair could also work together as Carrick was an important part of Solskjaer’s coaching team when he replaced Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford in 2018.

Darren Fletcher, United’s current Under-18s coach, who has also been spoken to about the job, will continue as caretaker manager until an interim coach is appointed. The former midfielder will take charge for his first match on Wednesday, when United visit Burnley (20:15 GMT) in the Premier League.

Former United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy is also expected to be a contender.

Amorim was fired on Monday after 14 turbulent months in office.

United plan to name a permanent successor to Amorim in the summer.

One player told BBC Sport they felt the role could be shared by more than one of the contenders, or that Fletcher could remain in the job until the end of the season if the next two games come back positive.

Solskjaer initially took charge in a similar fashion when United sacked Mourinho in 2018, and subsequently became full-time manager for three years before being sacked in November 2021.

Carrick then spent three games as caretaker coach following Solskjaer’s sacking before leaving the club in December 2021.

The former English midfielder has been unemployed since his dismissal by First Division club Middlesbrough last June after two and a half years in charge.

Solskjaer was dismissed from coaching Besiktas in Turkey last August.

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner and former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbe – now at Marseille – are understood to be among the first contenders for the full-time job.

Glasner, who won the FA Cup with the Eagles last season, was asked about the link during his press conference on Tuesday.

“I am the Crystal Palace coach and it makes no sense for you to ask me any more questions about this,” he said.