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TAKING THE MICHAEL

Having “given it Carrick ‘til the end of the season” and with the conclusion of the campaign heaving into view, the Manchester United hierarchy will soon be forced to make a Big Decision. Whether it has involved laying off staff, spending the thick end of £40m hiring and firing head coaches and suits in the middle of an economy drive or airing his opinions on immigrants, many of the decisions Big Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made have been bad. There’s no guarantee he’ll pick the right head coach to lead the club into next season. On the face of it, Michael Carrick has done a decent job. helping mastermind victory in nine of his 13 matches in charge, while his narrowed eyes, bestubbled jaw and the upturned collar of his black wool-blend overcoat lend him the air of an unflappable Berlin-based intelligence officer in a gritty cold war spy thriller. Softly spoken, liked by United fans and players, he seems the easy (possibly even obvious) option now Bigger Cup football has been all but secured for next season.

Of course a more cynical email than Football Daily might be inclined to point out that in whipping the unmotivated rabble Ruben Amorim left behind into shape, Carrick has not exactly performed miracles, but simply decided to pick Kobbie Mainoo and move Bruno Fernandes, the beating heart of United, closer to the opposition goal. He is also reaping the benefits of having an ageing Brazilian holding midfielder who is showcasing the form of a mercenary angling for one last big payday when his contract expires in the summer. “Cas has had an influence in the group,” soothed Carrick of the soon-to-be-gone Casemiro. “He has huge experience and given everything you can possibly give. But it’s football. Players come and go.”

While there are plenty of sound arguments for keeping Carrick in the Old Trafford hot seat, Monday’s victory over Brentford also provided plenty of ammo for those who would prefer to see him replaced by somebody whose credentials are more elite. While United secured the win, both their goals came resolutely against the run of play. If an uncharacteristically out-of-sorts Igor Thiago hadn’t put his Nike Phantom Elite boots on the wrong feet, they might have come out on the wrong end of a hiding. United’s over-reliance on Fernandes to provide goals and assists ought also to be a concern. This is not least because qualification for Bigger Cup and their general improvement means they will have to play considerably more matches next season than the bare minimum of 40 across three competitions they’ll have clocked up by the end of the current campaign. “He’s going to be the Manchester United manager next season, no doubt about that,” yelped Jamie Carragher on Sky’s Monday Night Football. “The performances of late have not been great but it’s not a great Manchester United team.”

Whether Carragher is right or merely stirring the pot remains to be seen. But if Big Sir Jim decides that a well-tailored coat and a knack-free Fernandes are sufficient foundations for a league title and European charge, then he truly is the maverick his PR team claims him to be. If not, Carrick may soon find that while players come and go, interim managers usually do so much faster. Given their recent track record we can probably all agree that whatever decision the United hierarchy makes at season’s end will almost certainly end up being unwise.

LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE

Join Scott Murray at 8pm BST for piping-hot MBM coverage of PSG 2-2 Bayern, as arguably the two best teams in Europe vie to make the Bigger Cup final in their semi-final first-leg.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“As Barça manager I brought back Dani Alves and tried to bring Neymar, Pedro and Leo Messi back as well. Pedro and Neymar couldn’t be signed because of the economic situation. For Messi, the [chief suit Joan] Laporta didn’t want him back. We talked for five months, and everything was ready but in the end the president said no, and the deal collapsed” – Xavi, the Barcelona legend turned manager who left the club in 2024 under a storm after talks with … you guessed it … Laporta, claims to Romário TV (yep, that Romário) that the president was the reason why Messi (yep, that one) didn’t make an emotional return to Catalonia.

FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS

It’s Bigger Cup semi-final time. Bayern Munich, PSG, Atlético and Arsenal all going at it to prove who’s the best in Europe. There’s really only one thing missing: the booming tones of Rio Ferdinand and his otherworldly non-sequiturs. Who can forget him shouting ‘Ballon d’Or’ repeatedly or even ‘This is a win for football’ echoing around Europe? My own personal favourite? ‘Space kills!’ Rio Ferdinand, part-pundit, part-philosopher. We miss you” – Myles Flynn.

Always love when you make a wry Wire reference (yesterday’s Football Daily, full email edition). In response to your Jimmy McNulty comment, perhaps the street corner whisperings of ‘Rochdale coming’ will put a bit of fear into rivals’ hearts” – Mike Wilner.

Mention of Halley’s Comet (yesterday’s Football Daily) reminded me of how old I am, having seen it last time. Back in those days of course clubs never used their financial clout to gain an advantage. Apart from Liverpool (which worked) and Manchester United (which, erm, didn’t – see Mike Phelan, Neil Webb and Danny Wallace)” – Andy Taylor.

As a fan of the Football Daily’s last line, not only do I understand yesterday’s text, but I have an answer to ‘DID THEY RUN 27.2 MILES?’ Yes, they bloody well did. I ran it back in 1992 and I still wake up screaming some nights in memory. Fun runners, my @rse!” – Shaun Clark.

Now that you’ve awarded a (well merited) prize again, no doubt you will be inundated by letters from all the Old Faithfuls around these parts, clawing at any trivial issue to compete for a similar award. Step up Messrs Oh, Francis et al. What’s that? My trivial issue? Oh, let’s see, how about your use of ‘best legal team’ when it should have been ‘better legal team’, considering you explicitly stated ‘two footballing behemoths’? Will that do? No, thought as much” – Ken Muir (and no other Old Faithfuls).

If you have any, please send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s letter o’ the day winner is … Myles Flynn, who gets a copy of Classic Football Shirts, courtesy of Penguin. It’s out on Thursday and you can order a copy here if you’re not successful. Terms and conditions for our competitions, when we run them, are here.

MOVING THE GOALPOSTS

Nigeria and Brighton keeper Chiamaka Nnadozie talks to Osasu Obayiuwana about the debacle to postpone Wafcon (with added chat about boomboxes and life in leafy East Sussex) in the latest edition of our sister newsletter.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING

It’s not just men’s Bigger Cup this week, with both women’s semi-finals also taking place this weekend: OL Lyonnes v Arsenal (first leg: 1-2) and Barcelona v Bayern (1-1). The Women’s Football Weekly pod squad delve into the details, and also discuss a pivotal weekend in the WSL title race.

RECOMMENDED SUBSCRIBING

Want a newsletter that explains how the World Cup became the cultural, social and political behemoth that it is? Then look no further than The World Behind the Cup, a new email from Jonathan Wilson coming soon. You can pre-subscribe … but please stick with your faithful Football Daily too.

RECOMMENDED LOOKING

Here’s David Squires on … Chelsea’s Wembley trip, man.

NEWS, BITS AND BOBS

Benjamin Sesko reckons Casemiro will be a big loss for Manchester United next season, after the Brazilian scored again against Brentford. “He’s a working machine, he’s experienced and what he’s putting on the pitch is unbelievable. Unfortunately he’s leaving,” sniffed Sesko.

On the blue side of Manchester, City have confirmed that John Stones will do one when his contract ticks down to zero this summer after 10 years and nearly 300 appearances.

Brighton have revealed plans for Europe’s first purpose-built women’s football stadium – a 10,000-capacity ground right next door to the Amex.

The head of the London Marathon wants West Ham to show more “heart and soul” amid fears they could scupper Britain’s chances of hosting the 2029 World Athletics Championships.

The Geopolitics World Cup will be a “bonanza of sportswashing”, according to human rights organisations, who claim the Donald Trump administration is using sport as a political tool to “cover up abuses”.

Luka Modric has undergone successful surgery after suffering cheekbone-ouch in a clash of heads with Juve’s Manuel Locatelli at the weekend. Croatia, though, expect the 40-year-old Milan midfielder to recover in time for the GWC. “I am confident that Luka, as team captain, will lead us at another major competition this summer,” roared national coach Zlatko Dalic.

However, Modric’s former Madrid teammate Éder Militão will miss the GWC with Brazil after suffering hamstring-twang that also requires surgery.

Steph Catley has inked her name all over a new Arsenal contract – and she had her dog Calvin alongside her for the big moment.

Gillingham have scrapped their end-of-season awards after the club’s dismal run of form in League Two. The Gills will survive relegation from the EFL but have cancelled Saturday’s event at the Priestfield Stadium, with tickets initially priced at £72 (yikes!) for supporters, instead announcing that the club “will publish a list of award winners on our website over the weekend”.

And it was clearly Football Daily what won it as Big Website/Big Paper scooped the sports publisher of the year gong at the Sports Journalism Association awards, while Jonathan Liew won columnist of the year for a fifth time.

STILL WANT MORE?

What, Howe and why: Louise Taylor identifies the big questions Saudi owners may ask Newcastle’s under-fire manager.

Sid Lowe on Sevilla, who are circling the drain in La Liga.

Nicky Bandini explains why the latest refereeing scandal in Italy is bringing back unhappy memories of Calciopoli.

Crystal Palace face Shakhtar Donetsk in the Tin Pot semi-finals this week. Here’s Ed Aarons with the lowdown on the war-torn Ukrainian side. Meanwhile, with Oliver Glasner finding further success at Palace, Mohamed Mohamed asks: will he fall into the Thomas Frank trap?

Al-Ahli won the AFC Big Cup for the second successive year, but few outside Jeddah will remember the flawed tournament fondly, argues John Duerden.

“An uprising against loneliness”: why have football ultras become a cultural obsession? Tobias Jones has the answer.

And Timo Werner is the headline act in our MLS weekend wrap.

MEMORY LANE

14 September 1994: It’s PSG v Bayern later so why not feast your eyes on these two stonking kits from 1994, as the two sides met in the Big Cup group stage, with George Weah inspiring PSG to a 2-0 win. The French side would go all the way to the semis that year (beaten by Milan, who signed Weah in the summer of 1995) in their first season back in the competition since the 1992 rebranding. But enough about that; please enjoy this image of an acrobatic David Ginola, a watchful David Elleray and every single person wearing black boots. Inject it, etc.

THIS ONE’S FOR YOU, SHAUN!