Gary Neville has assured that Manchester United chiefs won’t be pressured into making a knee-jerk reaction in their manager hunt.

Given the Red Devils’ revitalised run since Michael Carrick took the reins, which has seen them win all four matches and operate a much more free-flowing, easy-on-the-eye play style, there have been questions as to whether the former midfielder would be granted the job on a permanent basis.

In doing so, United would be replicating their appointment of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who was initially brought in as an interim manager following Jose Mourinho’s dismissal, but impressed so much that he was awarded a three-year deal.

Carrick’s impeccable run could see him rewarded long-term(Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

It’s safe to say a large portion of the Old Trafford faithful would welcome the prospect of Carrick staying long-term, primarily due to his history with the club and the strong relationship he already holds with supporters.

His chant has bellowed out at each match thus far, and the players have evidently taken kindly to his management style, with numerous already speaking highly of the impact Carrick has had both on and off the pitch in the four weeks since his arrival.

In regard to which other candidates are thought to be in the race, United have, and will continue to be, linked with a host of names. The likes of Andoni Iraola and Oliver Glasner pose as Premier League-proven options, and the latter has already confirmed that he’ll be on the move at the end of the season when his contract expires with Crystal Palace.

What Neville is hearing about United’s managerial hunt

Divulging what he’d heard directly from United over the weekend, Neville said on Sky Sports: “I asked the club: what is the official position of the football club in terms of what you’re saying publicly to everybody else? They said they’ve actually begun the process now, starting to look for another manager, which I thought, ‘Right, that’s good to hear because you need to plan for everything.’

“They’ve started the process of speaking to and looking at other managers, building all the sorts of data and analysing who should be the next manager of the football club.

“But what they’ve said is they’re not going to be bounced into – irrespective of wins or draws or losses on the pitch in this next couple of months – making an appointment. They’re going to wait until towards the end of the season.

“If Michael [Carrick] then, at that point, makes himself available for the job, and I did actually say a couple of weeks ago, I wondered whether Michael actually would say no. He is that type of guy Michael, he’s someone who would always work in the best interest of the football club. He may do that, or he might say no. I feel comfortable enough, and I’ve built such a good relationship with the players and his coaching staff, to put his name in the hat.

“At that point, Michael Carrick, like in any other recruitment role in the country for any other business, would go into what would be a process versus the likes of Thomas Tuchel and all the others that are going to become available in the summer. I think that’s fair.”