Michael Carrick says the chance to inflict damage on one of the men thought to be a contender to be Manchester United's next head coach will not be a motivating factor in Sunday's game against Crystal Palace.

Palace manager Oliver Glasner is second favourite for the permanent role with most bookmakers, despite a troubled campaign in which he has openly criticised his club's board, lost in the FA Cup to Macclesfield and fallen out with supporters amid a struggling Premier League campaign.

Interim Manchester United boss Carrick is now the favourite, thanks to five wins and a draw from his six games in charge.

It is a record which, after Aston Villa's shock defeat at Wolves on Friday, means United will go third in the table for the first time since the end of the 2022-23 campaign if they beat Palace at Old Trafford.

That is enough of a motivation for Carrick, who says there is no personal element to his preparations at all.

"It is not something that would cross my mind until you mentioned it," he said.

"It doesn't make...