Manchester United

Interim Manchester United boss Michael Carrick speaking to BT Sport: "It's a fresh start, every game is a fresh start anyway but there's no hiding form the run we've been on. That's part of the challenge and what you have to enjoy, the challenge. What a night to be here on a pivotal night in the Champions League. We've prepared well the past few days, the boys are ready to go.

"I want the result to change from Saturday, that's first and foremost. We want to do the right things and go about it in the right way. We have a game plan and we want to stick to that - I trust the players and I want them to go out and deliver. There's almost too much talking now and the next game is always the biggest and that's certainly the case tonight."

On team selection: "I have fantastic players - that's the beauty of having a good squad. We've only been here together for 48 hours and there's decisions to make and I was spoilt for choice. Five substitutions is a lot and there will be a lot of players that will play a big part tonight - just because they're on the bench doesn't mean they won't be involved.

"Not one of the players has been at their best - there's no hiding from that but there's a team to be picked. I love Bruno [Fernandes] he's a fantastic player and a good person - he ran his socks off on Saturday but this is the team I've picked. It doesn't mean Bruno's not important by any stretch."

Image source, Getty Images

All of the speculation around the Man Utd manager's job will have no impact on tonight's game, though. The responsibility for that falls to Michael Carrick and the players.

What will a Carrick side look like? He spent plenty of time sat alongside Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, so you wouldn't imagine it would be a huge departure from the Norwegian's setup and strategy.

It's still the same set of players. Still Fred and Scott McTominay in the middle. Maybe the former England midfielder has a surprise or two up his sleeve?

Bill Rice
BBC Radio Manchester

Michael Carrick took the opportunity to thank Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and wish him all the best, as he spoke for the first time as caretaker boss of Manchester United following the Norwegian's sacking on Sunday.

Carrick - who was a team-mate of Solskjaer's at Old Trafford and worked under him as part of his coaching staff - said it was tough for him and a lot of people at the club to say goodbye, but knows Ole would understand results are what count in football.

The 40-year-old was calm and measured as he spoke to the media for the first time as caretaker boss - he is relishing taking charge of the team for tomorrow's Champions League game away at Villarreal, and says he knows the sacrifice and dedication required to succeed, as the club has been his life for "a long time".

He refused to be drawn on what he thinks went wrong for Solskjaer at Old Trafford and how he intends to fix it, or whether like his predecessor he has ambitions to be a manager permanently - admitting he doesn't know how long he will be in charge for.

Carrick did admit that he knows the only way for the players and him to win supporters over is to win matches, which is why he is looking no further forward than Tuesday's game.

Image source, Getty Images

Villarreal manager Unai Emery says Manchester United players must "show their faces" when the two sides meet in the Champions League on Tuesday.

The former Arsenal boss expects a reaction from United's stars following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

United are level on points with the Spanish side at the top of Group F - with two matches remaining.

"When there's a coaching change, there's a reaction one way or another," Emery told a news conference on Monday.

"The focus will be more on the players than on the bench. The players know, even though they are professional and must always deliver, that they have to show their faces - for Manchester United, for the coach that left and the one that has arrived or will come.

"As a coach, you don't welcome the news that a colleague has lost his job. I've faced Solskjaer several times and, above all, I value him as a great person."

Manchester United should go and get Mauricio Pochettino now as their next manager, says French football expert Julien Laurens.

Pochettino is open to leaving Paris St-Germain to become United boss and Laurens thinks it is not benefiting either party to wait until summer to complete a deal.

"Pochettino always wanted to become United manager one day and now they are looking again for a new manager, his name is coming into the fold and this time it’s far more serious," Laurens told the Monday Night Club.

"If they want him, go and get him now. You’re big enough, you’re wealthy enough to go and get whoever you want now.

"Pochettino has 18 months left on his current contract so, whether it’s now or in the summer, you will have to pay PSG.

"Why wait? Because it would be exactly the same negotiation and PSG will say: 'He wants to go, why would we keep a guy who doesn’t want to be on our bench, who hasn’t really settled in and we also have a guy who’s waiting?'"

Listen to more of the discussion on Pochettino becoming United's next manager on Football Daily from 25'18 on BBC Sounds

Could we see a bit of manager-trading between Europe's elite clubs to secure a quick successor for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Manchester United?

It has been suggested that Paris St-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino could leave his current role to move to Old Trafford, with PSG the possibly turning to Zinedine Zidane, who apparently has no interest in the job at United.

You can read more about that here.

It could be an interesting night in Kyiv with heavy snow still falling.

The ground staff are working hard to clear the pitch with snow shovels but it is falling almost as fast as they can clear it.

Image source, Getty Images

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

Manchester United's decision to sack manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was inevitable and should have brought an element of certainty to the recent chaotic events at Old Trafford.

It should have happened after the humiliating 5-0 loss at home to Liverpool. It could have happened after the embarrassing manner of their 2-0 derby defeat to Manchester City in front of their own support two weeks later.

It had to happen after they were nothing short of a shambles in losing 4-1 at relegation-troubled Watford.

Solskjaer's appointment, his demise and the vague outline of a succession plan from Manchester United's hapless hierarchy drives at the very heart of how this once mighty club have become also-rans.

What should have been an exercise in drawing a dignified line under what has become a fiasco in recent times managed to leave even more questions, as United announced Michael Carrick would be caretaker for now before an "interim" appointment until the end of season.

It suggests those running Manchester United have a plan in place to bring in a currently employed manager next summer. Their track record does not inspire huge confidence that they have this covered.

Read more from Phil McNulty on the decision to sack Solskjaer here.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport

Michael Carrick was given no timescale and no certainty by executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward when asked to step in as manager following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's dismissal.

It seems certain Carrick will remain in charge for Sunday's trip to Premier League leaders Chelsea after overseeing Tuesday's Champions League tie against Villarreal.

There are then four days until Arsenal visit Old Trafford on 2 December and by then some clarity will surely have emerged around what, to outsiders at least, appears a pretty confused picture.

Read more from Simon Stone on Man Utd's manager search here.

Image source, BBC Sport

Dynamo Kyiv, who can't progress to the knockout stages after taking just one point from their four games, make two changes from their last Champions League game against Barcelona.

Ukraine left-back Vitaliy Mykolenko and Belarus striker Ilya Shkurin replace Oleksandr Karavayev and Denys Garmash.

Dynamo Kyiv: Bushchan, Kedziora, Zabarnyi, Syrota, Mykolenko, Sydorchuk, Shaparenko, Tsygankov, Buyalskyi, De Pena, Shkurin.

Subs: Andrievskyi, Antyukh, Boyko, Harmash, Karavaev, Kulach, Lednev, Vitinho, Ramírez, Shabanov, Shepelev, Verbič.

Image source, BBC Sport

Bayern Munich, who won the Champions League in 2020, have still been able to name a strong team for their game at Dynamo Kyiv despite having Joshua Kimmich, Serge Gnabry, Jamal Musiala, Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting and Michael Cuisance in quarantine after being in close contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19.

German newspaper Bild have reported, external that those players will not be paid during their quarantine period.

Bayern are already through to the knockout stages after a 100% record in their first four games.

Bayern Munich: Neuer, Pavard, Nianzou, Hernandez, Davies, Tolisso, Goretzka, Coman, Muller, Sane, Lewandowski.

Subs: Ulreich, Fruchtl, Richards, Sarr, Roca, Tillman.

We've got eight Champions League games tonight. Manchester United's game at Villarreal and Dynamo Kiev v Bayern Munich are the early pair, with Chelsea v Juventus one of the six matches at 20:00 GMT.

We're also entering the business end of the group stages, so if you want to know who has already qualified and who else needs what, then click here for all the permutations.

I don't think I need to prompt you on a talking point for tonight.

The bbcfootball hashtag on Twitter has been awash with Manchester United chat, rumour, speculation, damnation and the rest for the last few days, so why put a stop to it now?

Get in touch with us via the usual channels if you have a burning point to get off your chest. Those would be Twitter on the aforementioned hashtag and via text 81111 (UK only - standard message rates apply).

BBC Radio 5 Live

Both of tonight's games featuring Premier League sides are live on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Kelly Cates is the host with the show getting under way at 17:30 GMT.

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Five changes for Villarreal from the side that began their 1-1 La Liga draw at Celta Vigo on Saturday.

Among those to come back in is former Tottenham and Watford midfielder Etienne Capoue, while ex-Spurs defender Juan Foyth retains his starting spot.

Arnaut Danjuma, who has five La Liga goals to his name and two in the Champions League, is their top goalscorer and he starts.

Villarreal: Rulli, Albiol, Torres, Foyth, Parejo, Capoue, Estupinan, Trigueros, Gomez, Pino, Danjuma.

Subs: Asensio, Mario, Alcacer, Iborra, Dia, Chukwueze, Raba, Alberto, Mandi, Pedraza.

Image source, .

Michael Carrick has not been afraid to make changes in his first game in caretaker charge of Manchester United.

There are four alterations from the United side that began the 4-1 loss at Watford in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's last match at the helm.

Donny van de Beek replaces Bruno Fernandes, Anthony Martial comes in for Marcus Rashford, Alex Telles starts in place of Luke Shaw with Fred getting the nod ahead of Nemanja Matic.

Manchester United: De Gea, Telles, Lindelof, Maguire, Wan-Bissaka, Fred, McTominay, Van de Beek, Sancho, Martial, Ronaldo.

Subs: Heaton, Henderson, Bailly, Dalot, Mata, Lingard, Fernandes, Matic, Amad, Rashford.

Michael Carrick, a Champions League winner with United in his 12 years at Old Trafford as a player, has (of course) been put in temporary charge following Solskjaer's dismissal on Sunday.

Not only do United head to Spain without a permanent manager, they are also without a win in three matches.

Since beating Villarreal at Old Trafford on 29 September thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo's 95th minute winner, the Red Devils have won just two matches out of eight.

Carrick has called this a "big match for both clubs" and is urging United's players to put on a good performance after a turbulent few days at Old Trafford.

"What matters now is getting the right results, how we go about our business," added the five-time United Premier League winner.

"There's a responsibility that comes with playing for this club that doesn't come with playing for many others.

"Villarreal are a very good team. Very well organised and very well coached. They have a good mix, a good balance and we respect that.

"It's a big game for both teams but it's one we can really look forward to."

There are a couple of interesting bits to Michael Carrick's first Manchester United team. Donny van de Beek starting for one. Alex Telles is also in, as is Anthony Martial.

We'll bring you the full team news ASAP.