Michael Carrick transitions from interviewer to competitor against Thomas Frank as Manchester United faces Tottenham.
Michael Carrick is set to face Thomas Frank just five months after interviewing the Tottenham manager, as Manchester United’s head coach seeks a fourth consecutive victory.
The 44-year-old has made an impressive start to his tenure for the remainder of the season, achieving victories against Manchester City and Arsenal, followed by a thrilling 3-2 win over Fulham last Sunday.
Carrick’s former team, Spurs, will be the next challenge on Saturday afternoon, where the United manager will share the touchline at Old Trafford with a coach he interviewed prior to Frank’s inaugural Champions League match.
“Yes, [life] certainly can change,” he reflected on the Amazon Prime interview from September. “I genuinely enjoyed it, actually.
“We connected really well. It was the first time I had met him properly, and we had a good discussion about various football topics.
“A bit about processes and ideas, but he was very accommodating. I enjoyed it, so it will be nice to see him again.”
Frank took over at Spurs last summer after making a strong impression at Brentford, but his position faced significant scrutiny following a poor start to 2026.
However, there has been a slight improvement in performance recently, with last weekend’s 2-2 draw against City being part of a four-match unbeaten streak across all competitions.
“They certainly present a challenge,” Carrick stated. “You can particularly see how they finished the game the other day.
“They’ve dealt with injuries and numerous changes to the squad, which complicates things from their perspective. But they are getting players back.
“They possess very good attackers who aim to stretch the defense and frequently attack the box. It’s something we definitely need to be mindful of.
“It will be a somewhat different game compared to what we have faced in recent weeks, but we are looking forward to it.
“We are in a good position, and the players have trained well again this week. Once more, we must remain grounded and not get carried away with past results. It’s about what comes next, so a significant challenge lies ahead, but we are eager for it.”
Tottenham secured victories in all four encounters against United last season, including the crucial, albeit uneventful, Europa League final in Bilbao last May.
Carrick aims to break that streak as he faces a team he played for two seasons before transferring to Old Trafford in an £18.6 million deal in 2006.
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When asked when he developed a passion for United, the head coach replied: “It was quite immediate.
“I have very fond memories of Tottenham and my time at the club. Although my stay was brief in hindsight, I truly enjoyed it.
“It was a good team, Martin Jol was the manager, and I learned a lot during my short time at the club.
“However, I’ve mentioned it often, moving here was a significant step, and I felt that quite quickly. Once you enter this place as a footballer, it transforms you.
“So, from the very first day walking into the dressing room and meeting the manager, that was it for me.”
