United have won more points than any other Premier League club since Carrick was appointed to steady the ship until the end of the season. Keane, however, still believes his former club can do better. Speaking on Sky Sports after Liverpool’s draw at Tottenham, the ex-United skipper insisted that a bigger name should be handed the reins ahead of next season.

“I think there are better options out there,” said Keane. “I think the games where he has come in and won football matches, he’s done a very good job.

“He’s obviously simplified things but there’s been no jeopardy in those games. He’s had free weeks to prepare for the matches. It’s been good timing for him to go in there and he’s done a very good job.

“I take my hat off. If he does get the job in the summer, I’d say: ‘Good luck to you’. But I think there are far better options out there.”

Ashley Young was also in the Sky Sports studio and argued that Carrick deserves to be kept on, but Keane was in no mood to back down and dug his heels in.

“Everyone else can get giddy about being third in the league, but I don’t. I’m not one of them. I don’t get all excited with stuff like that. I get excited when teams are winning trophies and competing week in, week out.”

It would, of course, be impossible for Carrick to win a trophy between now and the end of the season, given that United aren’t in Europe and have already been knocked out of both domestic cups.

Mathematically, they could still win the Premier League title but the reality paints a different picture of a two-horse race between Arsenal and Manchester City.

It comes just days after Sir Jim Ratcliffe refused to comment on the suggestion of Carrick being rewarded for his success with the permanent manager’s job.

Speaking to Sky Sports at the Chinese Grand Prix, the INEOS billionaire said: “”He’s doing an excellent job. Yeah, absolutely.”

However, he wouldn’t be drawn into commenting on whether Carrick would stay on after the end of the season, replying: “Not going there.”

However, considerable uncertainty surrounded whether it would proceed as planned, with the Middle Eastern country having been targeted by Iranian attacks amid their continuing conflict with the USA and Israel. It had previously been reported that Argentinian officials were pushing for the match to be postponed by several days, whilst they were also advocating for a neutral venue to stage the contest instead. However, those negotiations have failed to bear fruit, with the fixture now having been cancelled.

A statement from organisers said: “After much discussion between UEFA and the organising authorities in Qatar, it is announced today that due to the current political situation in the region, the Finalissima between UEFA EURO 2024 winners Spain and CONMEBOL Copa América 2024 champions Argentina cannot be played as hoped in Qatar on 27 March.

“It is a source of great disappointment to UEFA and the organisers that circumstances and timing have denied the teams of the chance to compete for this prestigious prize in Qatar – a country that has demonstrated time and again its capability of staging world class international events in state-of-the-art facilities.

“UEFA would like to express its deep gratitude to the organising committee and relevant authorities of Qatar for the work that has been put into trying to host the game and its certainty that peace will return to the region soon.”

It added: “With strong determination to save the important fixture, and despite the understandable difficulties of relocating a match of such importance at extremely short notice, UEFA explored other feasible alternatives but each ultimately proved unacceptable to the Argentinian Football Association.

“The first option was to stage the match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on the original date with a 50:50 split of supporters in the stadium. This would have provided a world class setting, befitting of such a prestigious event, but Argentina refused.

“The second was to stage the Finalissima over two legs – one at the Santiago Bernabeu on 27 March and the other in Buenos Aires during an international window before UEFA EURO and Copa America 2028, again offering a supporter split of 50:50 for the match in Madrid. This option was also rejected.

“Ultimately, UEFA sought a commitment from Argentina that, if a neutral venue in Europe could be found, the game could go ahead on 27 March, as planned and announced on 18 December 2025, or on the alternative date of 30 March. This proposal was also rejected.

“Argentina made a counter suggestion to play the game after the World Cup but, as Spain has no available dates, that option had to be ruled out. Finally, and contrary to the original agreed plan that the match would take place on 27 March, Argentina declared its availability to play exclusively on 31 March, a date which proved to be unworkable.

“As a result, and to UEFA’s regret, this edition of the Finalissima has been cancelled.”

A two-time Grand Slam champion has been looking unrecognisable in his new role at the Indian Wells Masters. The player, who reached the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2008, triumphed at the US Open in 2000 and the Australian Open in 2005. He was ranked as the world’s best player by the ATP for nine weeks after winning his first Grand Slam at Flushing Meadows.

He earned over £10million in prize money throughout his glittering career before retiring from professional tennis in 2009. The 46-year-old later ventured into politics in his native Russia, becoming a member of the State Duma representing the United Russia party. He is now a tennis coach and has been sporting a very different look at Indian Wells this week.

The player in question is Marat Safin, who has been working with Andrey Rublev since last year’s clay-court swing. Unlike his playing days, he now sports a bushy beard and long, flowing locks.

Known for his short temper during his professional career, Safin has been tasked with helping to manage Rublev’s fiery emotions on the court.

The latter has been ranked as high as fifth by the ATP but is currently 17th. He was beaten in his first match at Indian Wells, losing at the hands of Gabriel Diallo in three sets.

Rublev has since been playing doubles with Karen Khachanov, reaching the quarter-finals before losing to Valentin Vacherot and Arthur Rinderknech.

Speaking about his partnership with Safin last year, Rublev said: “He had his own struggles that he went through and I was always afraid to ask [about] those things, but I always wanted to.

“When I found out he was looking maybe to work in tennis, it was like: ‘OK, I have to at least [try]’. It’s crazy because now, with Marat and members of my team, they’re killing me.

“I can’t remember another year when they have done this to me. It’s fitness to begin with for two-and-a-half hours, then it’s tennis for two hours.

“He’s killing me. No mistakes from the baseline, high intensity from the baseline until you make it. This push is all for me. It’s always about yourself.”

Safin has also taken part in various legends events since returning to the tennis scene. He teamed up with Bethanie Mattek-Sands to take on Pat Rafter and Kim Clijsters in a doubles contest at the US Open last year.