Michael Carrick press conference live Manchester United updates and team news ahead of Man City

"Really impressed," he said about Carrick. "I know Carras from before, and I spoke really highly of him. He was a magnificent coach when he was here under Ole. He's got great ideas, he speaks really well, and tactically he's really good.

"Now he's had a lot of experience at Middlesbrough as a manager and I'm sure he's going to come here and implement his ideas. He's a legend of the club, and I'm sure the fans will get right behind him, but I must say, with him and all of his coaching staff, I've been really impressed this week."

Shearer told Betfair: "I guess Michael Carrick's thinking will be that he has to steady the ship and from a personal point-of-view, he's got a great chance of staking a claim to take the job permanently.

"He's taken his own staff in there which I think was really important to do. The experience of Steve Holland and he obviously worked with Jonathan Woodgate before at Middlesbrough.

"Michael will be wanting to do a good job so he can stake a claim to take it long-term, that's what his motivation will be. Darren Fletcher managed one defeat and a draw so that didn't work but it'll be fascinating to see what Michael does differently to try and get the team up the table.

"They've got no cup competitions; the only target is to try and get into Europe and that's what he'll try to do. Man United probably didn't have a choice when it came to hiring another interim manager.

"They were probably in a situation where, and it bides them time, that Michael's connections will make his appointment go down well with the crowd. It gives Man United a chance to breathe and weigh up the situation to see where they go from now until the end of the season. Getting someone in from now until the end of the season was probably the only choice Man United had.

"Michael used to be at the same club as I was, Wallsend Boys Club. I never played with him and never worked with him, but I know him and have done little bits with him. He's very measured. I don't know what happened at Middlesbrough, but I know he tried to play front-foot, attacking football.

"It's a sensible appointment for Man United and it'll be really interesting to see what he can do with that team. It's purely going to be a game per week from now. He's got 17 games to get them into Europe.

"I think Michael will handle the pressure of the job like he did being a player there. He'll relish it. He's very calm, measured in what he does, and I think he'll be exactly the same as he was on the pitch.

"Michael isn't a magician, and there's no doubt that some of the players in that team are under-performing and have been for a while. It'll be fascinating to see whether he can get a tune out of them and drag them up the league."

Click here to read article