Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has explained why he thinks a current Premier League manager would be ‘perfect’ for Manchester United.

Michael Carrickhas boosted his chances of being named Man Utd’s permanent manager by winning six of his eight games in charge.

It remains to be seen whether Carrick will land the permanent job at the end of this season, but he will put INEOS in a difficult position if he helps Man Utdqualify for the Champions League.

United’s chances will increase if Carrick’s side beat Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon, but Carragher thinks the Red Devils should appoint Unai Emery.

Carragher has been taken aback by Man Utd’s supposed lack of interest in Emery, who apparently should be the ‘front-runner’ to replace Carrick for five reasons.

‘Unai Emery should be heading to Old Trafford this weekend as the front-runner to become the next Manchester United manager,’ Carragher wrote for The Telegraph.

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‘I suspect he does not rank high among the candidates. That is good news for Aston Villa, but it must be frustrating for one of the best, and still most underrated, coaches in Europe.

‘For Emery not to be under serious consideration says plenty about modern football. By any metric, he would be the perfect coach to revive United. For me, only Pep Guardiola ranks higher of those currently managing in England.

‘Here is a manager who wins trophies, has a clear football vision, a track record of revitalising clubs in need of a mini-revolution to break into the Champions League, and who demands respect while leading with authority. Add the fact he is now proven in the Premier League, and such coaches are in short supply.’

However, Carragher has also acknowledged that Emery’s previous work at Arsenal and PSG is a ‘red flag’.

‘Emery’s work at Valencia, Villarreal, Sevilla and Villa has cemented an unwanted reputation: that he has found his level just below the established superpowers. If you are a sleeping giant struggling in mid-table with aspirations of finishing fourth and winning the Europa League, he is the man to call,’ Carragher continued.

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‘If, like United, you are dreaming big to win the Premier League and Champions League in the next five years, Emery’s record at Arsenal and Paris St-Germain is a red flag.’

He added’ ‘Whenever Emery’s career is assessed, it feels like the blemishes at PSG and Arsenal are amplified as much as the triumphs elsewhere. In the past, such experiences would be regarded as part of the learning journey that makes Emery an even better coach. His work at Villa suggests he is.

‘But there is another, more significant factor working against the 54-year-old which explains United’s apparent lack of interest. Emery is one of the few symbols of a bygone era when managers wanted and assumed complete control of a club’s football operations.

‘Once he was thriving at Villa, it was an easy decision for the hierarchy to allow Emery to proceed with minimal interference. Whenever Emery’s name is referenced in connection to a “bigger” job, Villa fans argue that he would never have the same love and power at one of the traditional Champions League teams, and they have a point.’

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