Wayne Rooney has called on Manchester United to give Michael Carrick the manager’s job permanently.
The 3-1 win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday took United clear in third place in the Premier League.
Since he was named head coach for the remainder of the season in January, Carrick has guided his side to seven wins in nine games.
Across his two spells in charge, only Sven Goran Eriksson, Carlo Ancelotti and Manuel Pellegrini have eclipsed his record of six straight home wins at the start of their first Premier League job.
United chiefs want to assess all options before making a decision in the summer and minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe refused to be drawn on Carrick’s future when he was asked about it in Shanghai before this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix.
Ratcliffe did say Carrick was doing a good job and Rooney – who was on holiday with his former United and England team-mate when Ruben Amorim was sacked – has no doubts what should happen next.
“100% he should [get the job],” he told Radio 5 Live. “I knew this was going to happen with Michael Carrick. I know him very well. I know his character and his personality.
“It needed a calm head, but someone who knows the place. The players needed some love, and he has given them that.
“We have seen the players play with more quality, more together as a team, and they look like a very strong team. Why would you change?”
Typically, Carrick would not be drawn on Rooney’s comments. Neither is he getting distracted by the “noise” around his time in charge.
“There’s not that much noise, is there?” he said. “I don’t mean Wayne. I just mean in general.
“It’s only noise if you listen to it. It doesn’t affect me one bit, to be honest.”
Carrick confirmed he had spoken to chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox after the Villa win, but says his sole focus is Friday’s trip to Bournemouth.
“I’m in this position at the moment, doing the best I can, and I’m loving it, obviously,” Carrick said.
“But whatever’s going to happen is going happen. It’s all pretty calm.
“We can definitely enjoy the win and look forward to Friday night. But other than that, that’s all I’m thinking about really.”