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 any difference whatsoever.

“I have total respect for Crystal Palace and Oliver, in terms of the team that they are and the role they are doing. But it’s the next game for us.”

Palace were ahead of United in the table when the two sides met on 30 November.

One influential figure in United’s 2-1 success that day, Matthijs de Ligt, has not played since because of a back injury. Fellow centre-half Lisandro Martinez missed Monday’s win at Everton with a calf problem which Carrick regards as “a small issue” that will not keep the Argentine out “for very long”.

With fifth-placed Chelsea due to play Arsenal and Aston Villa in their next two games, this is looking like a chance for United to cement their position in the Champions League places.

It is an aim few thought likely when Ruben Amorim was sacked in January.

“We are in a decent spot,” Carrick said. “We feel like we are moving forwards, but it’s just about what’s in front of us, and trying to get to where we want to be, which is a little bit higher in the league.

“That’s literally all I’m worried about in the moment.”