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Harry Redknapp has backed his former club Tottenham to dent Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes in the upcoming north London derby.

Leaders and title favourites Arsenal visit arch-rivals Spurs on Sunday, desperate to get back to winning ways following two successive draws.

Mikel Arteta’s side, aiming to win Arsenal’s first Premier League title since 2004, were held to a 1-1 draw by Brentford last week before throwing away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Wolves on Wednesday night.

The Gunners threatened to tun away with the title race just a few weeks ago but a wobble has left Arsenal just five points ahead of second-placed Manchester City.

Arsenal’s lead by the time they face Tottenham will just be two points if Man City beat Newcastle United on Saturday evening.

Tottenham will not only be keen to dent Arsenal’s title hopes but also need the points themselves after slipping to 16th under former manager Thomas Frank.

Spurs’ defeat to Newcastle before last weekend’s FA Cup fixtures left the club just five points above the relegation zone with 12 games remaining.

That loss was the final straw for the Spurs board who decided to sack ex-Brentford manager Frank and appoint Igor Tudor as Tottenham’s interim manager until the end of the season.

A staggering 29 points and 15 places separate Arsenal and Spurs in the Premier League table but Redknapp nevertheless expects the Gunners to drop more points in Sunday’s derby.

‘This is the big one, and a very hard game to predict it,’ Redknapp, who managed Tottenham between 2008 and 2012, told BetVictor.

‘Let’s be honest, who knows what to expect from Spurs. I like Thomas Frank but the performances of late have been really poor and they probably needed a change.

‘Tudor’s come in and he’s got a decent reputation in Italy but how will he get on at Spurs, only time will tell. Talk about an early test for him though!

‘As for Arsenal, who knows what to expect? I cannot believe they blew that game against Wolves, that’s just so unlike them and boy, has that put pressure on this game.

‘Are those Arsenal lads beginning to feel the pressure? That Spurs crowd should lift the players and make this a closer game that some might expect.

‘I can see a nervy, entertaining draw! Bukayo Saka is one to watch as well, he’s signed a new deal and he’ll want to celebrate in style here.’

Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith expects a more comfortable afternoon for the title-chasing Gunners despite admitting Tudor’s presence provides a bit of uncertainty.

‘None of us quite knows what to expect,’ Smith told BestBettingSites. Igor Tudor seems to be a bit of a firefighter. That’s where he’s had his success at other clubs.

‘He’ll be trying to kick a few backsides, maybe, really rally them, which isn’t easy for a caretaker manager because players will be looking at him thinking, well, you’re not going to be here next season.

‘But if he’s got something about him, maybe he can produce a reaction. And for Arteta, he’s thinking, “oh, how are they going to set up? How are they going to play?”

‘So Tottenham and Tudor are a bit of an unknown quantity from that point of view. That might be something Tudor can take advantage of but I still fancy Arsenal. I’ll do 2-0.’

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Eberechi Eze scored a hat-trick as Arsenal thumped Tottenham 4-1 in the north London derby at the Emirates Stadium earlier in the season.

Arteta reminded his Arsenal players that they are ‘exactly where we want to be’ ahead of Sunday’s game despite their recent wobble.

‘We have to live the present,’ Arteta said. ‘What we did in the past is great, but we have to live the present, and the present is beautiful.

‘We are exactly where we want to be in every competition but there is still lots to play, and we need to earn it like we have done in the last seven or eight months.’

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Paul Merson has revealed his tentative prediction for this weekend’s huge north London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham.

Mikel Arteta takes his team to Spurs on Sunday afternoon desperate to get Arsenal’s Premier League title charge back on track.

Arsenal were the clear favourites to win the league just a few weeks ago but a worrying wobble has left fans wondering if the Gunners will fall short for the fourth year in a row.

Arteta’s side were held to a 1-1 draw by Brentford last week and then threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with bottom-placed Wolves on Wednesday.

Arsenal’s wobble means they lead second-placed Manchester City by just five points, and will see that advantage cut even further to two if City beat Newcastle United on Saturday.

Tottenham have endured another dismal Premier League campaign and sacked Thomas Frank before their last defeat to Newcastle which left them 16th in the table, just five points about the relegation zone.

Spurs appointed Igor Tudor as caretaker manager until the end of the season and would love nothing more to not only downplay their relegation fears but dent Arsenal’s title hopes.

Merson does not expect that to happen but is losing confidence in Arsenal at a rapid pace after they produced ‘one of their worst ever games’ against Wolves.

The Gunners legend was surprised Eberechi Eze was benched at Molineux and wants Arteta’s £67.5m summer signing to come back into the team at Tottenham in replace of ‘hot and cold’ Noni Madueke.

‘I’m sitting here and I don’t know what happens in this game,’ Merson admitted in his weekly predictions for Sportskeeda. ‘I thought I’d never say that, but it is what it is.

‘It was one of Arsenal’s worst ever games against Wolves. There were no patterns of play and they never looked like their usual self.

‘Tottenham have a new manager and it’s basically a free swing for them in the derby now. If Tottenham lose, no one cares. The pressure is on Arsenal and if Newcastle lose to City, it just adds to it.

‘I find it strange that Eberechi Eze did not start as the no.10 against Wolves. He was brought in to do that. Then why did he not start the game?

‘Mikel Arteta used Bukayo Saka as a No.10 instead. He’s not suited to play there because he’s a proper winger.

‘Noni Madueke also started against Wolves and he’s very hot and cold. He will do something amazing and the next thing he does would make you go, “why did he do that?”

‘Madueke is very direct but he has to mix it up. You can’t be direct all the time. He has still done better than what I expected this season though.

‘I won’t be surprised if Saka goes to the wing and Eze comes on for Madueke in this game. For me, Eze has to play as the No.10 against Spurs. He’s good in tight spaces and is better than Saka in that role.

‘I’m expecting Arsenal to win and will go 1-0 but I won’t be shocked if they failed to either. It just seems like they can’t open teams up anymore.’

Discussing the Premier League title race more generally, Merson added: ‘It’s in Manchester City’s hands now. If they win every game from now, they win the league title.

‘Three weeks ago, you could have never thought it would be this way. It’s quite unbelievable how Arsenal have slipped up.

‘If Arsenal beat Tottenham and Newcastle win at the Etihad, it will change. But I can’t see that happening.

‘The way everything is playing out in front of us, it’s not looking good for Arsenal. Imagine leading 2-0 and then conceding a draw against Wolves, that is worrying.

‘Arsenal did not deserve to win that game if I’m being honest. The only consolation for Arsenal is the fact that Newcastle basically settled the tie against Qarabag with an emphatic win.

‘It means that Eddie Howe can play his strongest team against Manchester City this weekend. Even then, I don’t think Newcastle have a chance though.’

Arsenal are desperately trying to win their first Premier League title since 2004 following three successive second-place finishes.

Their title rivals Manchester City have won six of the last eight league titles under legendary manager Pep Guardiola but only finished third last season.

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Igor Tudor has been put in charge of Tottenham until the end of the season, a move Martin Keown reckons is a huge gamble on a manager who has had a career ‘like a plumber.’

The 47-year-old is taking over in north London after the dismissal of Thomas Frank last week.

The Dane only took over in the summer but his reign has come to an abrupt halt with Spurs languishing in 16th in the Premier League table, with just seven wins from 26 league games.

The Champions League has been going much better, with Tottenham already into the last 16 of the competition, which means Tudor takes on a club in an unusual situation of facing relegation fears and European hopes.

The Croatian arrives for his first job in English football with a reputation as a short-term fixer, having been appointed as manager 12 times in the last 13 years and generally hitting the targets set out for him.

Keown is not on board with this style of short-term appointment, though, comparing the job to a plumber and warning Tottenham of the ‘huge gamble’ they are making.

‘I don’t know how it is that this guy’s ended up being this trouble-shooter manager that we talk of,’ Keown told talkSPORT. ‘Marseille, Lazio, Juventus, he hasn’t done a calendar year at any of these club.

‘I just didn’t think it would every become a thing that we’d have a manager – like a plumber – he just goes in, quick fix and off and gone again.

‘I just find it quite remarkable that we now have this situation within a football club. It’s a huge gamble.’

‘I was hearing rumours…’

Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan is sure that Tudor is not a long-term answer for Spurs, but feels Tudor may well do the job Spurs are asking him to do.

‘Football guys understand the business of football, they understand what they need to do and if they’re good communicators in the short-term [it could work],’ said Jordan.

‘It’s the longer-term that you look at the Igor Tudors of the world and go, does it work? Clearly he doesn’t work. He’s had 13 jobs in 12 years.

‘He’s not a long-term fix. Spurs have never said he’s a long-term fix. He’s a fix for now.

‘I was hearing rumours it was going to be Ryan Mason and Ledley King stepping in, that was some of the thinking that was apparently going on. So maybe we be grateful for this one.’

On Tudor’s appointment, Spurs sporting firector Johan Lange said: ‘Igor brings clarity, intensity and experience of stepping into challenging moments and producing impact.

‘Our objective is straightforward – to stabilise performances, maximise the quality within the squad and compete strongly in the Premier League and Champions League.’

The Croat, who won two Serie A title with Juventus in his playing days, said: ‘It is an honour to join this club at an important moment.

‘I understand the responsibility I have been handed and my focus is clear. To bring greater consistency to our performances and compete with conviction in every match.

‘There is strong quality in this playing squad, and my job is to organise it, energise it and improve our results quickly.’

‘There’s not enough time to do a job’

Former Spurs boss Tim Sherwood has questioned why Tudor would even want to do the job, saying there is almost no upside to taking the interim role.

Sherwood reckons there is almost no chance Tudor can get the job permanently, he will get no credit for just steadying the ship and if it goes badly then his reputation will be in tatters.

‘For him, very little upside,’ Sherwood told Sky Sports. ‘Managing a wonderful football club in Tottenham Hotspur, I think he said he’s proud to get the opportunity to do that.

‘But he has to win the Champions League and win 90 per cent of the games in the Premier League for him to have any chance of taking that job in the long-term. That job is going to Mauricio Pochettino if he wants it.

‘The downside is so catastrophic, it’s not even worth thinking about. Tottenham Hotspur being in the Championship next season. I get shivers thinking about it.

‘There’s not enough time to do a job. There’s injuries to the squad. If he has a good run and finishes 12th in the Premier League, he’s not going to get any credit for that. I believe he should, but no one’s giving him any credit for Tottenham Hotspur finishing 12th. But if he was to get them relegated then we’d all know his name for a long, long time.’

Tudor starts his Spurs stint with a tough test as Arsenal arrive to take on their local rivals in the Premier League on Sunday.

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Chelsea made an approach to sign Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall in the January transfer window, according to reports.

Bergvall, who is currently sidelined after undergoing ankle surgery last month, is in his second season with Spurs after joining in an £8.5 million deal from Swedish side Djurgarden in 2024.

The 20-year-old was named as Tottenham’s Player of the Season last term as he helped the club win the Europa League under Ange Postecoglou.

According to The Athletic, Chelsea and Aston Villa both made an approach to Spurs over a deal for Bergvall in the January window.

However, Spurs are said to have ‘made it clear’ that the Sweden international is not for sale.

Villa went on to sign Douglas Luiz for a second time on loan from Juventus, while they have the option to make that deal permanent for €25m (£23.4m) this summer.

Chelsea had also made an approach for Douglas Luiz before he returned to Villa.

Speaking this week, Postecoglou crticised Spurs for failing to recruit more experienced Premier League players after his first season in charge.

Instead, Spurs opted to sign Dominic Solanke alongside three teenagers in Bergvall, Archie Gray and Wilson Odobert.

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‘At the end of my first year, when we finished fifth, for me, OK, how do you go from fifth to really challenging? Well, we had to sign Premier League-leading players,’ Postecoglou said on The Overlap.

‘But finishing fifth that year didn’t get us Champions League, we didn’t have the money. So we ended up signing Dom Solanke… I was really keen on him, I really liked him, then three teenagers.

‘I was looking at Pedro Neto, [Bryan] Mbeumo and [Antoine] Semenyo at the time, Marc Guehi, because I said we need… if we’re going to go from fifth to there, that’s what the other big clubs would do in that moment.

‘And those three teenagers are outstanding young players, brilliant young players. I think they’ll be great players for Tottenham but they’re not going to get you from fifth to fourth.’

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Tottenham reached an agreement with former Juventus head coach Igor Tudor to become their new manager.

Spurs sacked Thomas Frank this week less than 12 hours after the 2-1 defeat at home to Newcastle United on Tuesday evening.

Tottenham have considered both short-term and long-term options following Frank’s exit with Marco Rose and Edin Terzic on the club’s shortlist, while Mauricio Pochettino remains a potential candidate after the USA’s campaign at the World Cup this summer.

Spurs held talks with Tudor and his agent Anthony Seric on Friday morning and the 47-year-old has now accepted a contract which runs until June.

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A verbal agreement has now been reached with Spurs keen to have a manager in place before the team’s next Premier League fixture against Arsenal on February 22.

Tudor was appointed as Juventus’ head coach in March last year but was sacked in October with the team on a run of eight games without a win.

The former centre-back, who made 174 appearances as a player for Juventus, has also had managerial spells at Hajduk Split, PAOK, Karabukspor, Galatasaray, Udinese, Hellas Verona, Marseille and an 11-game stint with Lazio.

Spurs, meanwhile, currently sit 16th in the Premier League and five points above the relegation zone.

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Jamie Carragher believes Liam Delap made a mistake joining Chelsea and says he should have signed for another Premier League club instead.

Delap, 23, has scored just one league goal for Chelsea since his £30m move from Ipswich Town last summer.

A number of clubs expressed interest in signing Delap, who hit double figures in the Premier League last season despite playing for relegated Ipswich.

Manchester United were close to signing Delap before the former Manchester City striker was keen to move to Chelsea.

Carragher says joining Chelsea was a ‘bad move’ for Delap as the ‘jump’ from Portman Road to Stamford Bridge was ‘too big’.

‘It was a bad move. Honestly, it was a bad move going to Chelsea,’ Liverpool legend and ex-England defender Carragher said on the Stick to Football podcast.

‘I just think young players, when they’re on a journey and getting better… the jump from Ipswich and Chelsea was too big, he needed somewhere in the middle.

‘Somewhere like Everton. If you play centre forward for Everton and play every game and know even if you have a few bad games you’re still going to play.

‘Whereas at Chelsea he’s never sure he’s going to play, even if he starts. Sometimes the jump is too big, you need that team in the middle.’

Delap is behind fellow Chelsea summer signing Joao Pedro in the pecking order at Stamford Bridge.

Ex-England striker Emile Heskey believes Delap needs to ‘improve his hold-up player’ to become a better player but is still backing him to ‘come good’.

‘Liam Delap needs to concentrate on improving his hold-up play,’ Heskey told aGamble. ‘It’s such an important asset because it affects how your teammates play with you.

‘They want a striker who they can be confident in firing the ball into, knowing it will stick. I think Delap needs to focus on that and spend more time on it.

‘It is difficult, though, because a lot of the time people only care about goals and assists, but I still believe overall play is very important for him.’

Heskey also disagrees with Carragher’s assessment that Delap was wrong to join Chelsea.

He added: ‘Despite this, I think he was right to move to Chelsea in the summer. He believes he’s good enough to play for a top club, so he was right to take the opportunity.

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‘He understands the pressure that comes with playing for such a big club because he was in the Manchester City academy and that will help him.

‘He just needs to find his feet, and that may take until next season. I think he will come good.’

Delap came on as a late substitute in Chelsea’s disappointing 2-2 draw with Leeds United on Tuesday night.

The Blues, currently fourth in the Premier League, return to action on Friday with an FA Cup clash against Liam Rosenior’s former club Hull City.

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Ange Postecoglou has spoken out about his time in charge of Tottenham, saying they are ‘not a big club’ and revealing players he wanted but couldn’t sign.

The Australian was in charge of Spurs from July 2023 to June 2025, in a memorably stint with the north London side.

An impressive first season saw him finish fifth in the top flight before a rollercoaster second campaign.

Spurs beat Manchester United in the final to win the Europa League, their first European trophy since 1984, but finishing 17th in the Premier League cost Postecoglou his job.

The 60-year-old reflects on his time at Tottenham and says it will be difficult for any manager to achieve success there given the financial restraints the club places on itself.

He says it felt impossible to improve on finishing fifth when the investment in the summer of 2024 was in Dominic Solanke and then a trio of unproven talents in Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray and Wilson Odobert.

‘It’s a curious club, Tottenham. It’s really curious in terms of understanding what they’re trying to build,’ Postecoglou told Stick To Football.

‘They’ve built an unbelievable stadium, unbelievable training facilities, but when you look at the expenditure, particularly the wages structure, they’re not a big club.

‘I saw that because when we were trying to sign players we weren’t in the market for those players.’

Four players Postecoglou wanted at Spurs

Postecoglou named a string of targets that he liked the look of in 2024 but was not in the market for, all of whom have since moved to big clubs.

‘There’s certain players that we…at the end of my first year when we finished fifth. How do you go from fifth to really challenging?’ Postecoglou asked. ‘We had to sign Premier League ready players.

‘Finishing fifth that year didn’t get us Champions League, we didn’t have the money, so we ended up signing Dom Solanke, who I was really keen on, I really like him, and three teenagers.

‘I was looking at Pedro Netro, [Bryan] Mbeumo, [Antoine] Semenyo, Marc Guehi. Because I said if we’re going to go from fifth to there [up] that’s what the other big clubs would do in that moment.

‘Those three teenagers are outstanding young players, brilliant, and I think they’ll be great players for Tottenham, but they’re not going to get you from fifth to fourth and third.’

‘Tottenham as a club were saying that we’re one of the big boys, and the reality is I don’t think they are’

The Aussie feels that the public messaging from the club suggests they have great ambitions for success, but that is not what it felt like when he worked there.

‘What was coming out from the club was that, we’re a club that can compete on all fronts,’ he said.

‘When you walk into Tottenham, what you see is ‘To Dare Is To Do’. It’s everywhere! And yet their actions are almost the antithesis of that.

‘Whether you like or dislike him, give credit to Daniel [Levy] because that path has got them a new stadium, new facilities, by taking a safe path. I think what they didn’t realise was to actually win you’ve got to take some risks at some point. That’s the DNA of the club.

‘It’s not so much what they tell you, it’s what goes out publicly. I felt like Tottenham as a club were saying that we’re one of the big boys, and the reality is I don’t think they are in terms of my experience.

‘When Arsenal need players, they spend £100m on Declan Rice, I don’t see Tottenham doing that.

‘It’s not the transfer fees, but it’s the wages to really attract…when was the last time Tottenham signed somebody to really go: “Wow!”‘

Ange on Frank’s sacking

Thomas Frank, Postecoglou’s replacement, was dismissed as Tottenham boss this week and the Australian has sympathy for the Dane.

Not only are expectations unrealistic, but especially at a time of change after the departure of chairman Daniel Levy.

‘You know that he can’t be the only issue at the club,’ said the former Celtic boss. ‘It’s a curious club, Tottenham. It made a major pivot at the end of last year, not just with me, but Daniel leaving as well. You’ve created this whole environment of uncertainty.

‘Thomas is walking in. What’s his objective? What’s the club’s objectives? The start of the year they said “compete on all fronts” well the club hasn’t competed on all fronts for a very long time.

Also the most influential person at the club for the last 20 years is also going.

If you’re going to do such a major pivot, you’ve got to understand there’s going to be some instability there.

‘It’s a fair departure from me. It wasn’t like it was a progression from me. I built that squad to play a certain way over the last coup[le of years and he’s coming in…’

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Thomas Frank has been tipped to join another Premier League club after his sacking at Tottenham.

Frank’s dismal spell as Spurs manager finally came to an end on Wednesday morning after another defeat to Newcastle the previous night.

The 2-1 loss left Europa League holders Tottenham 16th in the Premier League, just five points above the relegation zone.

Frank build up an impressive reputation during his time in charge of Brentford but failed miserably at Spurs, lasting just eight months in the job.

Tottenham went eight Premier League games without a win at the end of Frank’s reign – the club’s longest run without a victory since 2008.

Announcing Frank’s sacking, Spurs said in a statement: ‘The club has taken the decision to make a change in the men’s head coach position and Thomas Frank will leave today.

‘Thomas was appointed in June 2025, and we have been determined to give him the time and support needed to build for the future together.

‘However, results and performances have led the Board to conclude that a change at this point in the season is necessary.

‘Throughout his time at the club, Thomas has conducted himself with unwavering commitment, giving everything in his efforts to move the club forward.

‘We would like to thank him for his contribution and wish him every success in the future.’

Ex-Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood said he ‘felt sorry’ for Frank following his sacking but insisted it felt like an ‘inevitable’ outcome for the 52-year-old Dane.

Sherwood does not expect Frank’s dismal spell at Spurs to harm his long-term prospects, however, and even believes he could be in charge of another Premier League club sooner rather than later.

‘I think if you’ve seen Thomas Frank’s style of play down the years you would have known that it was very unlikely he was going to change his style,’ Sherwood said on Sky Sports. ‘It was successful for him at Brentford.

‘I think the nature of the job at Tottenham, comparing it to Brentford, it’s a completely different animal. The expectation at Tottenham, you can’t just win a game, lose one, draw a couple… it’s not acceptable, especially when you’re at home.

‘The fans want to be entertained and they want to be successful and he didn’t give any of that.

‘I feel sorry for him, you always feel sorry for any manager who loses his job, but I just felt it was inevitable in the end.

‘They now find themselves in a really tricky position, this balancing act between now and the summer when there is going to a whole host of managers who would like to take the Tottenham job.’

Asked about Frank’s future managerial prospects, Sherwood added: ‘I’m sure Thomas will go on and manage elsewhere.

‘I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw him at Crystal Palace. I think that’s a fantastic fit for him.

‘But Tottenham Hotspur, I know it’s in hindsight, but I said it when he did come in: I’m not sure about this appointment because you’re asking a man, knowing clearly how he plays, is that what the Tottenham fans want to see?

‘The answer for me, I know the game and I’ve been in it for a long time, would have been no. And that’s the way it panned out.’

Crystal Palace are searching for a new manager after Oliver Glasner announced last month he was leaving the club at the end of the season.

Glasner led Palace to FA Cup glory last season but the Eagles have struggled this term, winning just eight of their 26 league games to slip to 13th, eight points above the drop zone.

Tottenham are faring even worse, of course, and Sherwood insists his former club are ‘in a relegation battle’.

‘Let’s face it, they’re in a relegation battle,’ he said. ‘They’re playing the north London derby next and, last night, West Ham were nearly three points away from Tottenham in the league and they look like they’ve got real fight in that group.

‘Tottenham fans are looking down rather than up which is not a very positive sign. They are 100 per cent in a relegation battle and it’s not necessarily for the interim manager to go in and to worry about performances too much.

‘He’s just got to concentrate on results, it’s all about the results now and just digging them out.’

Tottenham’s next game is a north London derby against Premier League leaders Arsenal on February 22. The Gunners won the corresponding fixture 4-1 with Eberechi Eze scoring a hat-trick.

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Louis Saha says Manchester United will be able to attract ‘big names’ like Vinicius Junior if they continue on the same trajectory under Michael Carrick.

Carrick has enjoyed a dream start to his second stint as United’s interim manager having picked up the pieces from Ruben Amorim’s turbulent reign at Old Trafford last month.

The 44-year-old – who won five Premier League titles with United as a player – has led the Red Devils to four successive victories in his opening four matches to put forward his case for the permanent job.

The ex-England international will look to extend his remarkable run when United return to Premier League action away to West Ham this evening, with third-placed Aston Villa now firmly in their sights.

When asked about the possibility of becoming United’s permanent manager, Carrick has remained coy on the subject – reluctant to add any unwanted pressure to what is already one of the most heavily scrutinised gigs in football.

But if results continue on the same upward curve, United bosses will surely have no choice but to at least consider giving Carrick the keys over a more established candidate such as Oliver Glasner, Thomas Tuchel or Luis Enrique.

With uncertainty hanging over the manager’s position, it was clear the club had no plans in place to make additions to their squad in the January transfer window.

But according to Saha, who was team-mates with Carrick for two seasons, ‘nothing is too big’ for United in the summer if they manage to secure Champions League qualification.

The ex-United and France striker told AceOdds: ‘Nothing is too big when Manchester United are playing the way they are playing. They can attract any big name.

‘Vinicius is obviously a Ballon d’Or contender, definitely someone looking to shine, to be in a Champions League spot. I know that because he wants to win individual trophies.’

United prioritised strengthening their attack while Ruben Amorim was still in charge last summer, with Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko all arriving through the doors.

And while the three forwards commanded a combined transfer fee of around £200million, Saha wouldn’t rule out the possibility of an unsettled Vinicius Junior joining them in Manchester next season.

‘Who knows? That could be a very attractive combination – the team that we see week-in, week-out with Carrick, playing very attractive football,’ he added.

‘It may provide a new platform for a player like Vinicius Junior.’

Having shared a dressing room with Carrick for two years, Saha was initially a little surprised see the midfielder enter the world of management.

‘Honestly, I would say I didn’t see him becoming a manager but I definitely think that he knows every department of the game,’ he explained.

‘Midfielders have a duty of understanding attacking and defending. They have a special place in the game so it was always possible for him to become a manager and change his personality to become more vocal because he wasn’t vocal when we played together.

‘In terms of the quality of his brain, he was one of the best and he played with the best in terms of Paul Scholes so definitely all that experience and playing under Sir Alex Ferguson can only improve you.’

Saha can see Sir Alex Ferguson’s fingerprints all over the impressive work Carrick is doing at the Theatre of Dreams, which, in turn, has brought smiles back to the faces of the players again.

‘He’s brought the beauty of our memories and past Manchester United teams that we love like the combative part of the game, resilience, confidence and the technical part of the game too,’ the Frenchman went on.

‘It’s very very good to see the smile on the face of the players because it means they’re playing with a freedom and not with much thought and the right tactical ideas in the first four games.’

According to Saha, United’s hierarchy should be considering hiring Carrick for the full-time role ‘very, very seriously’ if it wasn’t already a possibility in their thoughts.

‘I would love to see Michael given the chance. He’s done very well. He’s a very hardworking guy but humble as well,’ he continued.

‘The results are going for him at the moment but not only the results, the way the team is playing and performing, we all can see the change straightaway. He’s had the biggest impact since Sir Alex Ferguson.

‘He does provide an answer to the question about the next manager. Necessity, I do think they need to think about Carrick very, very, very seriously there.

‘We know the expectation is so big and sometimes both have certain types of conversations and they want to see a long term plan. Do they see this is a spell where everything is going well for Carrick? Who knows how he reacts when he’s under more pressure.’

Saha added: ‘Maybe he needs to be challenged in that sense to be considered for the full-time role. I don’t know.

‘What I see is that he understands the DNA of the club, he’s been under pressure, maybe not as a manager but as a player, he understands how those managers have reacted before as he was part of the coaching staff. So he understands. He’s not a rookie.

‘I do think he deserves his position but when names like [Carlo] Ancelotti, [Zinedine] Zidane come into play, it’s a kind of a different ball game.’

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Manchester United are seeking to continue their winning streak when they take on West Ham United at the London Stadium tonight.

A dominant win over Tottenham made it four wins from four for Michael Carrick on Saturday afternoon with Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes on the score sheet.

Ahead of kick-off, there was perhaps the temptation to start Benjamin Sesko following his last-gap winner against Fulham the previous week.

The Slovenia international remained on the bench and did little to help his cause with a glaring miss late on.

Carrick has tweaked his attacking set up slightly with Mbeumo shifting over to the left in stages against Spurs with Cunha advancing through the middle. But the personnel has remained the same since Patrick Dorgu was ruled out with a hamstring injury.

Given how effectively they have operated, the trio of Mbeumo, Cunha and Amad Diallo with Bruno Fernandes joining them could stay in place for the trip to east London.

Aside from Cunha coming in for the injured Dorgu, Carrick has stuck with the same XI since taking the reins. But given this is the first midweek game United have had since his arrival, it could be an opportunity to rotate.

Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven have managed just a minute of football each under the new manager and are options to come in along with Noussair Mazrazoui. But the temptation will be to stick with the same back four that has served the midfielder so well so far.

Matthijs de Ligt remains sidelined with a back problem with no clear indication on when he will be returning to action.

Mason Mount is United’s other injury absentee.

Man Utd XI to face West Ham – Metro prediction

Carrick could very well name the same starting XI for the third game in a row.

As good as United have looked recently, there is a lingering question of how well they will operate against a low block.

Sesko is still to start a game since Carrick’s arrival but will surely have a role to play off the bench, particularly if United do have problems breaking the Hammers down and need a more direct approach.

West Ham vs Man Utd TV channel, live stream and kick-off time

West Ham vs Man Utd kicks off today (Tuesday 10 February) at 8:15pm.

You can watch the match live on TNT Sports 1 with streaming also available through the Discovery+ app.

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