Pep Guardiola made his thoughts perfectly clear on Michael Carrick in telling comments

Michael Carrick has been appointed as Manchester United interim manager ahead of the Manchester derby, with Pep Guardiola having previously passed comment on the former midfielder

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has previously lauded Michael Carrick as one of the finest players he's ever witnessed, with the pair now preparing to face off in their managerial roles. Former Manchester United midfielder Carrick has been named as United's interim manager following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim.

Carrick secured the position over fellow ex-United player Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The Norwegian was previously in discussions for the role, but a number of senior United players are believed to have voiced their objections to club executives, effectively blocking his appointment.

This left Carrick as the sole viable candidate and, after United confirmed the appointment during the week, he will guide the team into this weekend's Manchester derby at Old Trafford. The former Middlesbrough manager will pit his wits against Guardiola, who has previously expressed admiration for his opposite number.

During Carrick's playing days, the Catalan coach stated: "I am a big fan of Michael Carrick. He is one of the best holding midfielders I've ever seen in my life by far. He's the level of Xabi Alonso, Sergio Busquets in Barcelona and Munich."

Carrick will undoubtedly have a challenging task ahead in his debut match. Aside from his previous caretaker stint at Old Trafford, he has only held one permanent managerial role at Championship side Middlesbrough.

He spent nearly three years on Teesside, guiding Boro to the play-offs in his first season. The team also made it to the Carabao Cup semi-finals during the 2023/24 season but he was dismissed last summer after a 10th place finish in the Championship.

Guardiola, by contrast, is one of the most successful managers in global football. He has won six Premier League titles, the Champions League, two FA Cups and four League Cups during his tenure at the Etihad Stadium, along with trophies in Spain and Germany.

Aside from his time with Middlesbrough, this weekend's match against City will only be Carrick's third Premier League game as a manager. He previously took charge of United on an interim basis in 2021 following the dismissal of Solskjaer.

The first of those two matches ended in a 1-1 draw with Chelsea, as Jorginho's penalty cancelled out Jadon Sancho's opening goal at Stamford Bridge. Carrick then led the team to an impressive 3-2 victory over Arsenal, secured through two goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and one from Bruno Fernandes, before passing the baton to Ralf Rangnick.