Manchester United striker Edinson Cavani spent the international break in Uruguay stepping up his recovery, but he remains a doubt to feature against Chelsea on Sunday.

A tendon problem has prevented Cavani from featuring for United since a substitute appearance in the Red Devils' 2-2 draw with Atalanta on November 2, missing the losses to Manchester City and Watford that spelled the end of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's reign, as well as the most recent victory over Villarreal.

The 34-year-old also missed out on the chance to represent his country, with Uruguay slipping to defeat against Argentina and Bolivia, putting their World Cup qualification hopes in jeopardy and leading to the sacking of Oscar Tabarez as head coach after 15 years in the role. 

The veteran striker is now eager to get back out on the pitch after spending the international break in his homeland to focus on his rehabilitation.

Cavani also revealed that the trip gave him an opportunity to spend valuable time with his family.

"During this period of the international break, I've had the chance to stop and focus on this niggling injury that I'm feeling in the tendon in my leg, so I can speed up my recovery and come back quickly and be available for my club and national team," Cavani told the club's official website.

"So, during this time, I was able to spend a few days in Uruguay, do some fitness and recovery work and stuff and, in turn, I managed to see my family at the same time, which is always important, to see your family and be close to them."

Eighth-placed United face Premier League leaders Chelsea on Sunday in caretaker manager Michael Carrick's second game in charge and will be hoping for another positive result after the 2-0 Champions League win over Villarreal on Tuesday.

It remains unclear if Cavani will be able to boost his side's chances with his availability, or if his comeback will have to wait until the Red Devils' subsequent game against Arsenal at Old Trafford on December 2.

Dwight Yorke has claimed Manchester United did not need to sign Jadon Sancho due to the emergence of Mason Greenwood at the time.

Sancho joined from Borussia Dortmund in a big-money move in the last transfer window, though the winger's arrival was somewhat overshadowed by Cristiano Ronaldo's sensational return to Old Trafford.

The 21-year-old has struggled for form since the transfer and was dropped by England after disappointing in his initial showings for United.

However, Sancho – who has accumulated 744 minutes across all competitions for his new club – finally found the net against Villarreal on Tuesday after previously going 14 appearances and 10 shots without finding the net.

His Champions League strike was his first goal for the club, having failed to score before United and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer parted ways with the Red Devils sat eighth in the league.

But Yorke expressed his confusion as to why United signed Sancho when they have Greenwood, who stormed onto the scene in 2019-20 before he became only the second teenager to find the net in the opening three matches of a Premier League season this term.

"I think people forget these are young men that come in with huge expectations," Yorke, who finished as United's top league goal scorer in 1998-99, told Stats Perform. 

"He hasn't had the best of campaigns with England. We've seen that missed penalty, that can have a knock-on effect as well. All those little things, things that young players have to deal with. 

"I am a fan; I just probably think it would have been a little bit too early for us to bring him in. 

"I think we didn't need Sancho at the point in time with the emergence of Greenwood. I just think that was a position that we didn't really need to go for."

United are reportedly edging closer to appointing Ralf Rangnick on an interim basis, with a permanent solution set to be found at the end of the season.

The 63-year-old will no doubt know about Sancho, who is the only player from Europe's top five leagues to have scored 10 goals or more and had at least 15 assists across all competitions in each of the previous three seasons.

Despite questioning whether his arrival was necessary, Yorke added how exciting Sancho's potential can be for United, who travel to Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday.

"However, you still cannot underestimate the talent the boy does possess," he continued.

"He's definitely one for the future. Again, we have an English product and we want to make sure that we continue to pick up the English players. 

"But sometimes that can get a little bit overwhelming at times and people get ahead of themselves a little bit. But there’s no question in my mind that he's a very talented young man and will be a great asset to the football club going forward."

Julen Lopetegui has come a long way. Very little highlights that more than the fact he has been mentioned as a potential long-term successor to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Manchester United.

While such a move probably won't occur, with Mauricio Pochettino seemingly the likeliest to walk through the door at Old Trafford at the end of the season, the speculation is at least a vindication of the work Lopetegui has done at Sevilla over the past two and a half years.

Of course, it wasn't long before his hiring by Sevilla that Lopetegui seemed to be the butt of all jokes in Spanish football, with the situation surrounding his Spain departure attracting criticism before he was swiftly shown the exit by Real Madrid.

But he is a coach who really has put in the hard graft, having quickly lost his first ever job in management before then opting to refine his skills in youth coaching, steadily working his way up to prominence.

His football may not be universally popular, but Lopetegui has restored his reputation in an emphatic way.

Julen's gambit

Lopetegui saw the writing was on the wall.

"I know the culture of the club. I am identified with [the club] and with its fans. I am not surprised by a dismissal because football depends on results and we are not achieving them," he said.

While you'd think that might sound like what Lopetegui would have said after getting dismissed by Madrid, it was actually a frank response to being ditched by Rayo Vallecano back in 2003.

Rayo, whom Lopetegui finished his playing career with, were in the second tier and won just one of their first 10 league matches under their new, inexperienced coach. They went on to suffer a second successive relegation.

Although getting sacked wasn't a surprise for Lopetegui, it seemed to shock him into something of a rethink – he returned to his first professional club as a player, Real Madrid, in 2006 as their head of international scouting, and two years later he was in charge of the 'B' team, Castilla.

That was the first of several roles focused on youth coaching, which would see him looking after Spain's Under-19s, Under-20s and Under-21s over the following six years. Two seasons with Porto reintroduced him to senior club football, before Spain came calling again.

This time it wasn't an age-group role, it was the real deal. Lopetegui took over from Vicente del Bosque in 2016 and set about establishing a new dynasty for La Roja.

It was a largely positive two years. Ahead of the World Cup, he had presided over 20 matches for Spain, winning 14 of them and losing none.

That made him the Spain coach to have overseen the most games without losing, while his 70 per cent winning record is second only to Del Bosque (76 per cent) among those to preside over at least 15 games.

Goals weren't hard to come by either. Sure, World Cup qualification in Europe can bring about some lopsided results that boost averages, but still, Spain's 3.1 goals per game under Lopetegui remains the best of any Spain coach (min. 15 matches).

However, his decision to enter a post-World Cup agreement with Real Madrid, which was announced just a few days before Spain's campaign was due to begin, did not go down well with the Royal Spanish Football Federation. He was sacked and Fernando Hierro was brought in at short notice to preside over an ultimately disappointing Russia 2018.

Many criticised Lopetegui; some understood why he'd accepted the Madrid opportunity, others suspected it to be a poisoned chalice.

Predictable Perez

Given what he said after being sacked by Rayo some 15 years earlier, why Lopetegui saw Florentino Perez as the patient type was mystifying.

"Real Madrid is still alive. This is still October, we have done some good things, made a lot of chances, and we will try and improve and be more effective. We are ready to play a game of this size and these demands," he said prior to what proved to be his final match in charge.

After the game, that appraisal turned to: "I feel sad, but I want to remain in charge. It's a big blow, but I'm strong enough to know everything can be turned around. I have a lot of faith in this group of players."

Only, Lopetegui wasn't given the chance to turn it around, as we all know, for a 5-1 demolition by Barcelona in El Clasico brought an abrupt end to his brief 14-match stint at the helm. In football terms, there was surely no greater humiliation for a Madrid coach.

It was only the third time this century Madrid have conceded five times to Barca in LaLiga, and it meant Los Blancos had lost three league games on the bounce – again, this has only happened on two other occasions since January 2000.

Of course, there's lots to be said for why Lopetegui failed at Madrid. For one, his first-choice full-backs Dani Carvajal and Marcelo were in and out of the team, and such positions carry great importance for Lopetegui.

Additionally, let's not forget this was a Madrid very much in transition after the departure – and failed replacement – of Cristiano Ronaldo. It was seemingly expected that Karim Benzema would instantly pick up Ronaldo's slack, despite only passing 20 league goals in two of his previous nine LaLiga seasons. The Portugal star never went below 25 in his nine campaigns in Spain.

While Benzema did ultimately score 21 times in the league, only four of those (one via the penalty spot) – split across two games – came during Lopetegui's 10 games. Decisiveness in the final third was a real issue for the team, demonstrated by the fact they failed to beat Levante despite having 34 shots and set a new club record of 481 minutes without a league goal.

But Zinedine Zidane, Lopetegui's predecessor, saw this coming. As he bade farewell to the club alongside Perez just 15 days after winning a third successive Champions League title, the Frenchman spoke persistently about "change" and openly acknowledged he thought "it would be difficult to keep winning if I stayed".

Whether that was down to insufficient investment in the first team, the likelihood of retaining such high standards in the Champions League or a combination of both is unclear, but it would seem his successor was always on a hiding to nothing.

From rock-bottom to redemption

Lopetegui left Madrid with the second-worst win percentage (42.9 per cent) across all competitions in the club's history (min. two games), better only than Amancio (40.9).

But his record and impact at Sevilla couldn't realistically be much more of a contrast. Over his first 100 matches in charge in Nervion in all competitions, Lopetegui's 59 wins were a joint-record for the club.

It's almost fitting that his 100th career LaLiga match as a coach will come against his former team this weekend – it would be an even sweeter occasion were he to mastermind his first ever victory over Madrid, as success for Sevilla on Sunday will move them above Los Blancos and potentially put them top.

LaLiga is shaping up to be the closest it's been in years. Whether that's down to a dip in quality across Spain's top flight or not is a debate for another time, but Sevilla certainly looked well-placed to mount a challenge for the title having ultimately fallen just short in the final weeks of 2020-21.

At the very least, they are surely on track to finish in the top four in three successive seasons for only the second time since the Spanish Civil War, and it's this kind of consistency that's undoubtedly caught the attention of Man United, whom he defeated en route to 2019-20 Europa League success.

There are reasons to suggest he could be the sort of 'system coach' United need, as well. He's turned Sevilla into a side who dominate the ball, with their 64.4 per cent average possession for the season second only to Barcelona (65.8), while only the Catalans and Madrid have attempted and completed more passes.

But where many teams who like to dominate possession tend to press high, Sevilla do much more of their pressing in the middle third of the pitch – working with a striker like Ronaldo, who's engaged in just 113 pressures in the Premier League this season, ranking 30th at his position, may not be such an issue.

For example, Sevilla's 61 high turnovers are 10 fewer than any other LaLiga team this season, yet they have allowed opponents to have just four build-ups (sequences of 10 or more passes) that resulted in a shot or touch in the box. The next best record here is 10 (Barca and Villarreal).

This theoretically then gives Sevilla the chance to showcase their strength in picking through a counter-press, which is demonstrated by their 73 high turnovers against being the third-lowest in the division – none have led to a goal.

After getting by on individual quality and a helping of nostalgia for nearly three years, United need a coach who has proven he can mould a team to his philosophy – Sevilla may not be the most exhilarating team to watch, but they are effective and Lopetegui got results very quickly.

Certainly, Lopetegui ending up at Old Trafford any time soon isn't likely, but if Sevilla continue to churn out results in LaLiga and make themselves a genuine silverware rival to Los Blancos and Atletico Madrid, it's only a matter of time before Europe's biggest clubs come poking around. 

Where Lopetegui once saw Madrid as his greatest opportunity, he hopefully now just sees them as a mere obstacle in his quest for a crowning achievement: winning Sevilla their first title since the 1940s.

Another day, another Kylian Mbappe rumour.

The Paris Saint-Germain and France forward has long been linked with Real Madrid.

Madrid's high-profile chase could be reaching a conclusion.

TOP STORY – MADRID'S MBAPPE PLAN

Real Madrid's plan to sign Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe has been revealed, according to the front page of Saturday's Marca.

Mbappe is Madrid's top transfer target, with the PSG forward out of contract at the end of the season and both parties have made no secret of their admiration.

The recent report claims the offer is "unrejectable" as Madrid's interest dates back to Mbappe's time at Monaco in 2017.

Marca also reports Madrid are set for a busy January amid interest in other soon-to-be free agents – Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba and Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger.

ROUND-UP

- Mundo Deportivo says Barcelona are negotiating a move for Manchester City forward Ferran Torres, though the Premier League champions are not interested in selling the Spaniard.

- Bayern Munich could look to sign Barca goalkeeper and Germany international Marc-Andre ter Stegen in 2023, per El Nacional.

- Roma star Nicolo Zaniolo is wanted by Serie A rivals Juventus and Antonio Conte's Tottenham, claims Calciomercato.

- Juve are eyeing Fulham star Aleksandar Mitrovic as an alternative should they miss out on in-demand Fiorentina forward Dusan Vlahovic, according to Todofichajes. Vlahovic has been linked with City, United, Madrid, Barca, Bayern, Atletico Madrid, Arsenal, Inter and Tottenham.

- The Star says Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips will turn down a move to Old Trafford. Phillips has attracted interest from rivals Manchester United but the England international midfielder is unwilling to spark backlash from fans.

Pep Guardiola said he would need a nap to talk about Manchester United's many rumoured managers amid mounting speculation regarding potential new Red Devils boss Ralf Rangnick.

Rangnick is reportedly set to take over United on an interim basis following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with a potentially longer stay at Old Trafford in a role behind the scenes.

Former RB Leipzig head coach Rangnick – who also held various roles at the Bundesliga outfit across eight seasons – is currently head of sports and development at Russian side Lokomotiv Moscow.

Talk of Rangnick's six-month appointment has dominated headlines as United reportedly eye long-term targets Mauricio Pochettino of Paris Saint-Germain and Ajax's Erik ten Hag, while Sporting CP boss Ruben Amorim has also been mentioned.

Manchester City manager Guardiola was asked about the potential arrival of Rangnick in the Premier League.

"Personally? No," Guardiola said when asked if he knew much about Rangnick. "I spoke once to him in my lifetime by phone.

"I never met him, but I know he did an incredible job in an organisation like Red Bull Leipzig and Salzburg and has big experience in Germany, is incredibly well known. But personally, I haven't met him."

Further pressed on Rangnick and Lars Kornetka, who worked alongside Guardiola at Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich as an analyst, the Spaniard dismissed the reports.

"Listen, listen, over the last 10 days, maybe it was 20 names of a possible manager for Man United, so I cannot speak for each one," Guardiola said ahead of Sunday's clash with West Ham.

"Maybe this afternoon we'll have to take a nap, so we'll spend three hours to answer all the possible candidates to be Man United [manager]. So at the moment he will be appointed, if you ask me the opinion, I will give my answer.

"So no, I don't know. Now Michael Carrick is the [interim] manager for Man United, and that is my only concern."

Defending champions City are second in the table, three points behind leaders Chelsea through 12 rounds, while United are 12 points off the pace.

Dwight Yorke appreciates Harry Maguire is going through a tough phase but implored the centre-back to keep things simple to battle through his dip in form.

Maguire joined Manchester United in August 2019 for £80 million – a world record fee for a defender - from Leicester City on a six-year contract, with the option of a further year.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was the man to bring the England international to the club, though the Norwegian and the Red Devils have now parted ways with United eighth in the Premier League after a 4-1 humiliation at Watford.

Maguire was the first to admit the players must "share the responsibility" for Solskjaer's departure, with his downturn in form coinciding with United's struggles in recent months.

Former striker Yorke, who won three successive top-flight titles at Old Trafford between 1999 and 2002, wants the 28-year-old back at his best to aid United's revival.

"These guys are supposed to be world class," Yorke told Stats Perform.

"This is the number one England defender, stand-in captain when Harry Kane doesn't play. It's just crazy how things change so quickly and opinions of others change so quickly. 

"Listen, you go through phases in your career. And it's never going to be an easy part where you play every game and you get an eight or nine each game and stuff. 

"You're going to have challenges in your time and Harry Maguire is obviously going through one of those phases.

"Especially in a team that is not winning games, you come back into a team that is not winning, not high on confidence, you’re going to be low on confidence and you're going to be making mistakes. 

"And unfortunately, when you're at a club like Manchester United, you're going to be scrutinised, right, left and centre. If you don't perform well, you’re not going to get away with it at Manchester United, and Harry Maguire is no different."

Michael Carrick has been placed in temporary charge as United search for an interim appointment, which looks likely to be Ralf Rangnick, before hiring a permanent solution at the end of the season.

In his first game at the helm against Villarreal, Carrick managed to sure up a shaky defence that has conceded 21 times in the Premier League, only Newcastle United and Norwich have been breached more (both 27).

Maguire captained the side in Tuesday's Champions League clash but Yorke believes the solution for the defender is to return to the basics that have previously served him so well.

"We're talking about someone that we invested £80million in so there's a huge expectation for him," he added.

"Now he has to get back by doing what Maguire did in the first place, that has got him all this recognition, which is to defend and make the game very simple. 

"When you start making it complicated you cause problems, especially in a team that is struggling on confidence at the moment. 

"And this is where if I was Carrick, I would get back to just the basics of getting these players doing their job and doing it well in their areas rather than trying to complicate the game like they are doing at this moment."

Dwight Yorke believes criticism of Cristiano Ronaldo for having a negative influence on Manchester United is "absolutely crazy".

Ronaldo made a sensational return to Old Trafford at the end of the last transfer window, moving back to United after a 12-year absence following spells with Real Madrid and Juventus.

The Portugal forward struck twice on his second debut for the Red Devils against Newcastle United and has added two further goals to take his tally to four in the Premier League.

The 36-year-old has been especially prolific in the Champions League, netting six times as he became the first player to score in the first five matches of a European Cup/Champions League campaign for an English team with his most recent goal in the 2-0 win against Villarreal on Tuesday.

But United's form in the 2021-22 campaign has been far from inspiring, with the club eighth in the league after parting ways with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer following a 4-1 reverse at Watford.

Criticism has been directed at Ronaldo, who some believe does not have the work rate to lead the line, but Yorke disagrees with suggestions that the forward is a disruptive presence.

"That's just rubbish, nip that in the bud," Yorke, who won three successive Premier League titles with United between 1999 and 2002, responded to Stats Perform. 

"For people to be questioning every now and then about how disruptive he has been to the football club, it's just absolutely garbage. 

"I mean, you have arguably the best footballer in the world. You want, and any manager wants him in your team, and you've just got to fit the puzzle around him. As simple as that. 

"You know, make him happy, make him do what he does best which he's been able to do for nearly two decades of his playing career. It's sensationalist. 

"It was crazy how ex-footballers and pundits, people could say that he can be disruptive at Manchester United, which is a farce. 

"This guy is sensational. He's a rare talent. He wants to win at all costs, you can see that winning mentality, it is a rare thing. And for people to be saying that he is disruptive at our football club is just absolutely ludicrous."

Michael Carrick will be United manager ahead of their trip to Chelsea, who are winless in the last seven top-flight meetings between the pair.

Reports suggest former RB Leipzig boss Ralf Rangnick will become the interim manager until the end of the season, when the club will look for a permanent appointment.

Mauricio Pochettino has been strongly linked to the role but, whoever the manager, Yorke thinks it is on all the players to get United back to where they belong.

"It's all well and good having a world-class player, other people have to come along and join in that bandwagon and get us back to where we were," he added.

"There is no question in my mind that the team that we have, and the quality that we have possessed in that squad, we should nowhere be near where we are today. 

"We should be definitely challenging for the league, and all the other competitions because I think that we have got one of the best squads in world football at this current time. 

"But for some reason, we haven't been able to back that up with performances. And for people even trying to point the finger at Cristiano Ronaldo is just absolutely crazy, in my opinion."

Julian Nagelsmann would like Ralf Rangnick to be handed a long-term role at Manchester United amid widespread reports the experienced coach is to become the club's interim manager.

Rangnick, 63, only took over as Lokomotiv Moscow's head of sports and development earlier this year following an eight-season spell across various roles at RB Leipzig.

But the former Stuttgart and Schalke coach, who is credited for influencing some of football's brightest minds, appears set to join United as interim manager following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's departure.

Nagelsmann and Rangnick's careers crossed paths at Leipzig between 2019 and 2021, with the latter acting as head of sport and development for RedBullGMBH following his director of football role at both Red Bull Salzburg and the Bundesliga side.

Now Bayern Munich head coach Nagelsmann, whose high-pressing philosophy largely resembles Rangnick's preferred approach, believes his compatriot will be a hit at United.

Asked about his mentor's potential appointment at Old Trafford, Nagelsmann said: "I think it's cool. I also wrote to him. I think I wrote 'cool'.

"I'm happy for him. He's an excellent trainer."

While the 34-year-old was pleased with the Red Devils' reported move, he explained he would like to see Rangnick offered a longer deal as United are set to search for a permanent solution at the end of the season.

"I would like him to be a coach longer than until the summer," he continued. "From Man United's point of view, congratulations."

Reports have suggested United will look to appoint Rangnick on a consultancy basis after his time as interim boss is up.

Mauricio Pochettino has been touted as United's preferred option to take over next year, though Paris Saint-Germain have insisted the Argentine is staying put.

United face Chelsea on Sunday, with Rangnick's appointment expected to have gone through by that stage. However, Michael Carrick is set to be in charge for the trip to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea are likely to be without N'Golo Kante against Manchester United while Ben Chilwell's next six weeks are crucial, according to head coach Thomas Tuchel.

The Blues host United, who are reportedly edging closer to appointing Ralf Rangnick as interim boss, on Sunday looking to end a run of seven top-flight matches without beating the Red Devils.

Tuchel's men sit three points clear at the top of the Premier League but they will without a few key figures when they face United, who are unbeaten in their 11 Premier League visits to the capital.

Kante sustained a minor knee injury in the 4-0 win over Juventus, while Chelsea are waiting to see the extent of Chilwell's suspected anterior cruciate ligament damage, which forced the England international off in the same game on Tuesday.

Asked for an update on his squad's injuries, Tuchel said: "Kova [Mateo Kovacic] is still out for the game on Sunday.

"N'Golo twisted his knee a little bit against Juventus and feels better but it seems he will be out for some days. We still have a little hope but it's almost a miracle if he makes it.

"Ben is out, he has a partial tear of his ACL, and the decision is to treat it conservatively. The next six weeks will tell the story if he makes it and be available or if he will need surgery.

"There is never a good moment for big injuries or injuries in general. This personally is a very bad moment because he was so involved and full of confidence. 

"He was so important in our victories. We are very sad but he at the moment is very positive because his body has reacted positively to the first treatments and the injury."

Chelsea may have failed to score in their past four Premier League meetings with United but the Blues are flying high with their impressive defence leading the way.

Tuchel's team have conceded just four times in the league so far, with only the 2004-05 Blues' side (three) ever shipping fewer goals among all Premier League teams at this stage in an English top-flight campaign.

Despite their rapid start, Tuchel is refusing to get carried away with so much of the title race to run.

"It's a marathon, it's not finished," he added. "We started this race as the hunters and before the race is finished we will be the hunters. If we can stay the whole race ahead of those competing for the win, this is what we work and dream for. 

"This is what we are determined for, why we come every day at Cobham with all our energy.

"There is still a long way to go and the road does not shift. Man United and Liverpool showed us what is needed to be consistently at the highest level and we need to do it.

"We are up for the big challenges and we want to be out there playing at the highest level. We want to prove a point. We have just come from a hard match and now we are onto the next one. We will be challenged at the highest level again on Sunday."

Mauricio Pochettino has not asked to leave Paris Saint-Germain and no talks have been held with Zinedine Zidane, the club's sporting director, Leonardo, has said.

Speculation has persisted that Pochettino is one of Manchester United's top targets to succeed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as manager.

The Red Devils have reportedly identified the Argentine as a leading candidate, most likely for the end of the season, with Ralf Rangnick poised to take over on an interim basis for the rest of 2021-22.

The former Spurs boss, who is keen to return to the Premier League according to some reports, refused to quash the rumours following his side's 2-1 Champions League defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday.

It has also been claimed that PSG have spoken several times with former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane over the prospect of taking charge should Pochettino ask to leave.

However, Leonardo insists there has been no contact from any club about Pochettino, who is under contract until the end of next season.

"I think it's important to clarify the situation given the amount of false information circulating. Mauricio Pochettino is under contract with the club until 2023," he told AFP.

"We do not want Pochettino to leave. He never asked to leave and no club contacted us in relation to him."

Leonardo also denied claims that PSG officials met with Zidane at Paris' prestigious Royal Monceau hotel to discuss the prospect of taking charge.

"We have a lot of respect for Zinedine Zidane, for what he did as a player and coach, but I can tell you very clearly that there is no contact and that no meeting with him has taken place," he said.

"It's ridiculous to imagine that a meeting with Zinedine Zidane could have taken place in a big hotel in Paris in front of the eyes of everyone."

PSG, who lead Ligue 1 by 11 points after 14 rounds, are next in action at Saint-Etienne on Sunday.

Michael Carrick reiterated his focus is purely on Manchester United's clash with Premier League leaders Chelsea amid speculation Ralf Rangnick is set to take over as manager on a short-term contract.

Rangnick is widely anticipated to be appointed on a six-month deal following the end of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's reign last week, with a potential longer stay at Old Trafford in role a behind the scenes.

The German, who is head of sports and development at Lokomotiv Moscow, will not be in charge in time for Sunday's visit to Stamford Bridge.

United head into that fixture 12 points behind the leaders and six points adrift of the top four, and temporary boss Carrick is solely concentrated on narrowing those gaps rather than talk of what change may come to the club after the game.

"Speculation and reports are just that," Carrick told a media conference.

"My head is just on the game. My pure focus is on preparing the team as best as I can.

"It's a huge responsibility that I have at the moment and I've given it everything. Anything after Sunday is not in my thoughts at the moment."

Solskjaer oversaw a run of two wins in eight games in all competitions before leaving the club, that streak featuring humbling defeats to Liverpool and Manchester City and capped off by a dismal 4-1 loss at Watford.

Yet Carrick believes the Norwegian has laid good foundations for whoever takes the reins.

"One of the biggest things during Ole's time here was the stuff people don't see day-to-day," he added. "We were improving, finished well last season. Everything else can get overshadowed, but it is all still there.

"Whatever happens next it is a great starting point."

Carrick restored the winning feeling at United with a 2-0 Champions League victory at Villarreal in midweek.

And he believes United can up the feel-good factor by upsetting the odds against Chelsea.

Asked what stands out about Thomas Tuchel's Blues, Carrick replied: "Hugely impressed by how they go about things.

"Super intense, well organised, really good movement across our backline and their frontline.

"Very good at connecting with the midfield, with the back three building up and connecting into midfield, narrowing up and giving you problems with the wing-backs.

"We have to get a result and I believe we can."

Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel hailed Ralf Rangnick's revolutionary thinking with Manchester United reportedly on the brink of appointing the German.

Tuchel played for third-tier Ulm when Rangnick guided the club into 2. Bundesliga before a knee problem cut short the 48-year-old's playing days.

Rangnick, 63, also coached Stuttgart in 1999 and pushed the now Chelsea boss towards working for the club at youth level to learn his trade.

Tuchel's introduction to management proved successful, with the former Paris Saint-Germain head coach then taking charge of Mainz in 2009 before moving to Borussia Dortmund.

Michael Carrick is set to remain in charge for United's trip to Stamford Bridge on Sunday but Tuchel praised Rangnick's influence as the German edges closer to a reported move.

"He helped me a lot because he was my coach and then one of the main figures to convince me to try coaching," Tuchel responded to reporters at Friday's pre-match news conference.

"He was a huge influence on all of us at this time because he showed us it's not important to follow people to the toilet in games.

"That was the belief in these days that the defenders follow their strikers wherever they go and he showed us that it is possible to defend everybody in a zone.

"But listen, before I get carried away and talk too much, he isn't appointed yet. So let's respect everybody, let's respect Ralf and the club's decision. 

"When things are done then we can maybe talk about it."

Chelsea are top of the Premier League going into the weekend action, with United down in eighth position after the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Ralf Rangnick's expected arrival at Manchester United is "not good news for other teams" in the Premier League, according to Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

Veteran German coach Rangnick appears set to become interim boss at Old Trafford for the rest of the season.

United lost five of their last seven Premier League games under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who was sacked last Sunday, and Klopp is convinced Rangnick can fix their problems.

"Unfortunately a good coach is coming to England, so that's how it is, to Manchester United," Klopp said in a news conference on Friday.

"He's obviously a really experienced manager who built two clubs from nowhere to proper threats and proper forces in Germany with Hoffenheim and Leipzig.

"He did a lot of different jobs in football but his first concern was always being a coach, a manager, and that's what his best skill is.

"United will be organised, on the pitch we will have to realise that, and that's not good news for other teams.

"Like all coaches, we need time to train with our teams and Ralf will quickly realise he has no time to train because they play all the time.

"But he's a really good man, and an outstanding coach, if it happens, will come to England."

Rangnick has been working behind the scenes of Lokomotiv Moscow this season and his last job as a coach came at RB Leipzig, while he has also worked in senior leadership roles within Red Bull's group of clubs.

Klopp pointed out that his links to Rangnick go back many years, to when he was coaching Mainz and Rangnick was at Hannover in the 2001-02 season. Both were working in the second division of the Bundesliga at that point, and have crossed paths since at top-flight Bundesliga level.

The fellow German bosses now look set to clash in the Premier League, with United due to visit Anfield in March, having taken a 5-0 thumping at Liverpool's hands last month.

"They always played our opponent a week later, so he called me, the young manager of Mainz, and asked plenty of questions. I was happy that big Ralf Rangnick was calling me," Klopp said.

"They got promoted, we didn't, so he owes me still something. In the football world in Germany, he's very, very well regarded and rightly so."

In the final weeks of his ultimately ill-fated Manchester United tenure, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took to tweaking his system, switching to a back three against better teams in a bid to bolster a shaky defence.

Michael Carrick would be best advised not to follow suit when he takes United to Chelsea on Sunday.

Five Premier League opponents have lined up against Chelsea this season with three centre-backs – a system popularised in England by former coach Antonio Conte which the European champions have again made their own under Thomas Tuchel.

In those five meetings, in which inferior sides have sought to match up with Tuchel's men, Chelsea have won on each occasion, scoring 17 and conceding none.

Their rare slip-ups – 1-1 draws with Liverpool and Burnley, along with a 1-0 defeat to Manchester City – have come when Chelsea have been challenged by something different.

None of the Blues' rivals can name the same combination of quality, composure, experience and athleticism in a defensive trio. Meanwhile, N'Golo Kante, ably supported by Jorginho and – before injury – Mateo Kovacic, mans the midfield with enough energy to make up for any deficit in numbers.

But the real stars of this Chelsea side, especially with forwards Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner kept on the sidelines, have been the wing-backs.

Trumping Trent

It feels a little like the year of the full-back in the Premier League. Mohamed Salah is attempting to combat that, making their lives a misery, but Trent Alexander-Arnold is excelling again behind him at Liverpool while Joao Cancelo has seemingly assumed many of Kevin De Bruyne's creative responsibilities for Manchester City.

Among nominal defenders in the top flight, those two rank first and second for direct shot involvements: 54 for Alexander-Arnold (20 shots, 34 chances created) and 39 for Cancelo (27 shots, 12 chances created). However, when it comes to direct goal involvements, neither can match Reece James' eight (four goals, four assists).

James is third behind that pair for shot involvements (29 – 12 shots, 17 chances created), among four Chelsea defenders in the top nine; Antonio Rudiger, one of the others, is the only centre-back in that group.

Indeed, Chelsea also account for four of the six Premier League defenders to have scored multiple goals this term, including the only two to net three or more: James and Ben Chilwell, attacking from either flank.

England team-mates James and Chilwell are considered Chelsea's regular starting options out wide but have only actually started four league games together this season – the past four games. That number is not now set to increase any time soon either, after the left-back was injured against Juventus in midweek.

"It worries me because [Chilwell] was in such a fantastic moment – like Reece on the other side," Tuchel said. "They were in the best shape they could possibly be, so strong and so confident and with such a lot of quality."

Yet the loss of Chilwell may not necessarily be felt quite as keenly as his coach might fear; Marcos Alonso, who has matched his team-mate's 23 shot involvements in 2021-22, has twice been the Premier League's top-scoring defender (six in 2016-17, seven in 2017-18). Against United, he is a like-for-like replacement in this system.

Attack, attack, attack

Alonso was among the chief beneficiaries when Conte moved away from a back four in 2016, just as Tuchel's preference for a three last season saw the Spain international feature in 734 minutes from his appointment onwards, having been restricted to 225 minutes under Frank Lampard.

But the key difference between this team and Conte's is in what is expected of those wing-backs, who this season at least have been Chelsea's chief attacking threats, rather than merely complementing players like Eden Hazard, Diego Costa or Cesc Fabregas.

For this reason, James and Chilwell have been stationed high up the pitch, making the most of the platform afforded to them by players like Kante, Jorginho or defensive organiser Thiago Silva.

Among defenders to play 500 minutes or more this season, only Jamaal Lascelles (6.0 per cent) – a set-piece threat in a Newcastle United team who see little of the ball – has taken a greater share of his touches in the opposition box than Chilwell (5.9 per cent) and James (5.6 per cent).

Chilwell ranks second again with 41.3 per cent of his passes ending in the final third, while James (39.5 per cent) is sixth in that regard. Burnley's Matthew Lowton, the man who pips Chilwell, also leads the way for the rate of passes that are played long, showing a little less precision than the attack-minded Chelsea pair.

And this adventurous approach puts James third among all players (minimum 500 minutes), behind only Jack Grealish (7.99) and Salah (7.67), for involvements in shot-ending open play sequences per 90 minutes (7.06), with Chilwell (6.50) 11th and Alonso (6.04) 19th. James is third again for goal-ending open play sequences per 90, his 1.31 trailing Salah (1.83) and Alexander-Arnold (1.34).

Best in the world?

Comparisons between James and Alexander-Arnold are bound to provoke debate, as Tuchel said this week: "I see no reason now why we should get carried away and think about things like: is [James] the best in the world, the best in England or the best in Europe? These things do not help us."

James is "far from finished in his development", the Chelsea coach added.

But his achievements this season, keeping company with Salah and Alexander-Arnold, are particularly impressive given the absence of a forward team-mate of the quality of Liverpool's number 11. Lukaku is supposed to be Chelsea's headline act, but he has not been the only big name to sit out with injury.

Of Chelsea's 30 goals, 13 have been scored by defenders and just six – or 20.0 per cent – by strikers. Only the two clubs at the centre of the season's most dissatisfactory striker transfer saga – Tottenham (9.1 per cent) and City (16.0 per cent) – have had smaller portions of their goals provided by the men paid to score them.

Chelsea have instead shared the burden around, with a league-high 15 different scorers and 18 different players contributing either a goal or an assist, but James, while still patrolling one side of the pitch in a team who have conceded just four times, has shouldered more responsibility than most.

In the four games while Lukaku was missing, no Chelsea player scored more goals (three), laid on more assists (two) or created more chances (12) than James. Over the same period, no player in the Premier League was involved in more shot-ending open play sequences (31), with Chilwell joint-second (28).

Chilwell's momentum has been halted in cruel fashion, but could James end the season, as he is now, as Chelsea's leading scorer?

"Honestly, the way he is playing right now and the way he strikes the ball, I wouldn't be surprised," team-mate Christian Pulisic said after a spectacular Champions League goal against Juve.

Lukaku's return perhaps makes that unlikely, although there is not a huge wealth of evidence for how James might be impacted by his imminent reversion, presumably, to more of a supporting role. His three starts alongside the club's record signing to this point were at best a mixed bag; James scored one and created the other for Lukaku at Arsenal, was sent off at Liverpool and then lost to City, a game in which Chelsea failed to aim a shot on target.

The 21-year-old has gone from strength to strength since then, making it very difficult indeed to imagine a world in which he does not continue to thrive regardless – as its best right-back or otherwise.

Chelsea host Manchester United in the headline game of the weekend in the Premier League, with Sunday's showdown at Stamford Bridge a lip-smacking occasion.

Will United put the misery of their five defeats in seven domestic league games behind them and start afresh after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's sacking, or will it be the same old story for the Red Devils?

The threat comes from all quarters with Chelsea: Reece James and Antonio Rudiger may be as likely, if not more so, to score than Timo Werner, for example.

Leeds are boosted by the return from injury of Raphinha as they head to Brighton, while Raheem Sterling and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang face opponents against whom they have outstanding past records.

The pursuit of fantasy points is on, and here are suggestions for possible picks ahead of the weekend, powered by Opta data.

REECE JAMES (Chelsea v Manchester United)

Will Manchester United's Champions League victory at Villarreal be a spur for them to find a way back to winning ways in the Premier League? Not if Reece James can help it.

Chelsea's exciting right wing-back was sufficiently impressive last term to make England's Euro 2020 squad, but he has gone to another level this time around, and a midweek goal against Juventus just confirmed his progression.

In the Premier League, James has been directly involved in eight goals this season, three more than in his previous 56 appearances in the competition across the last two seasons (5 - one goal, four assists). His total of involvements is higher than any other defender in the league in 2021-22, and United will be wary of that danger. Whether they can stop it remains to be seen.

ANTONIO RUDIGER (Chelsea v Manchester United)

Another Chelsea defender who provides value as an all-rounder, Rudiger provides Premier League fantasy points possibilities at both ends of the pitch.

Among Premier League defenders, only his Blues club-mates James (4) and Ben Chilwell (3) have scored more goals in the competition this season, while only Manchester City's Joao Cancelo (8) has registered more clean sheets than the German (7).

With Harry Maguire suspended and Raphael Varane injured, United seem likely to be susceptible to crosses from set-pieces, which is where Rudiger could come into his own.

RAPHINHA (Brighton and Hove Albion v Leeds United)

Leeds are hovering just above the bottom three, heading into the weekend, so to have Raphinha available will be a major boost to Marcelo Bielsa.

After missing the defeat at Tottenham last time out, the Brazil international is expected to be involved at Brighton this weekend as Leeds target a third win of the campaign.

They missed his creative influence in north London, with Leeds having won 45 per cent of their Premier League games in which Raphinha has featured (18/40) since his debut for the club in October 2020, They have won none of their six matches when he has been absent (D2 L4) and have averaged a measly 0.5 goals per game.

His 20 goal involvements in the league over the same period (11 goals, 9 assists) is second only at Leeds to Patrick Bamford (23 - 15 goals, 8 assists).

RAHEEM STERLING (Manchester City v West Ham)

Has Raheem Sterling played himself into form for City? Three goals in his last three appearances across all competitions suggests that is the case for a player who struggled in the early weeks of the season, in the wake of his exploits at Euro 2020 with England.

Now, assuming he keeps his place in Pep Guardiola's starting line-up, Sterling gets to face one of his very favourite opponents when West Ham visit the Etihad Stadium.

Sterling has been involved in 11 goals in his last eight Premier League games against the Hammers (6 goals, 5 assists), hitting a hat-trick when the teams met in London on the opening day of the 2019-20 season.

EMMANUEL DENNIS (Leicester City v Watford)

It was Emmanuel Dennis who inflicted the final blow to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, completing the rout as Watford whipped Manchester United 4-1 last Saturday.

The Nigerian appears to have been an outstanding acquisition from Club Brugge and Leicester will be wary of his menacing form ahead of a King Power Stadium tussle.

Dennis has scored four goals and assisted five more in just 11 Premier League appearances for Watford. Should he score in Sunday's game, he would become only the sixth player in Premier League history to reach both five goals and assists in 12 or fewer games, after Eric Cantona (11 games), Jurgen Klinsmann (12), Arjen Robben (11), Andrey Arshavin (10) and Bruno Fernandes (9).

JOSE SA (Norwich City v Wolves)

The handover of the Wolves goalkeeper job from Rui Patricio to fellow Portuguese Jose Sa has been seamless, and the new man between the sticks has been highly effective already in the Premier League.

Only Chelsea's Edouard Mendy (3.71) has prevented more goals in the PL this season than Sa (2.18). That is based on Opta's expected goals on target (xGOT) metric, which assesses the quality of shots. On that basis, Sa would have been expected to concede 14.18 goals, but he has picked the ball out of the net just 12 times.

His 38 saves from 50 shots faced gives him a healthy 76 per cent success rate, beaten only by Mendy (88.57 per cent) and Arsenal's Aaron Ramsdale (78.95) so far this season. Norwich will do well to find a way past one of the most in-form glovesmen in the top flight.

PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG (Arsenal v Newcastle United)

Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has not scored or had an assist in his last three Premier League games, creating just one chance in 270 minutes.

But if there is any team he is going to score against, Newcastle would be close to the top of the list, and not merely because Eddie Howe's team are bottom of the table.

The former Borussia Dortmund striker has been involved in nine goals in his eight appearances for Arsenal against Newcastle in all competitions (6 goals, 3 assists), scoring in each of his last five games against the Magpies.