Michael Carrick finds himself up against Thomas Frank just five months on from interviewing the Tottenham boss as Manchester United’s head coach hunts a fourth win on the bounce.
The 44-year-old has enjoyed a dream start to his reign for the remainder of the campaign, with wins against Manchester City and Arsenal followed by last Sunday’s thrilling 3-2 victory against Fulham.
Carrick’s former club Spurs provide the next test on Saturday lunchtime, when the United boss will share the Old Trafford touchline with a coach he interviewed ahead of Frank’s first Champions League game.
“Yeah, (life) certainly can change,” he said looking back to the Amazon Prime interview in September. “I really enjoyed it, actually.”
Carrick added: “We got on really well. It’s the first time I’ve met him properly and we had a good chat just about general kind of football things.
“A little bit on processes and ideas, but he was really accommodating. I enjoyed it, so it will be good to see him again.”
Frank joined Spurs last summer after impressing at Brentford but his position came under intense pressure during a poor start to 2026.
But there has been a slight uptick in performance of late, with last weekend’s 2-2 draw at home to City part of a four-game unbeaten run in all competitions.
“They certainly bring a challenge,” Carrick said. “I think you can see especially the way they finished the game the other day.
“They’ve had players injured and ins and outs, and a lot of changes to the team, which makes things a lot more challenging, a lot more difficult from their perspective. But they’re getting players back.
“They’ve got really good attackers that look to stretch the backline and play forward and attack the box an awful lot. It’s something we’ve certainly got to be aware of.
“A slightly different game to maybe what we have played over recent weeks in some ways, but we’re looking forward to it.
“We’re in a good place and the boys have worked well again this week. Again, feet on the ground, let’s not get carried away with what has gone on. It’s about what’s next again, so a big challenge ahead but we’re looking forward to it.”
Tottenham won all four meetings against United last season, including May’s key, if drab, Europa League final encounter in Bilbao.
Carrick hopes to end that run when the former midfielder takes on a side he spent two seasons with before moving to Old Trafford in an £18.6m deal back in 2006.
Asked when he fell in love with United, the head coach said: “It was pretty instant. I’ve got really fond memories of Tottenham and being at the club. I was there for only a short time when you look back, but I really enjoyed it.
“Good team, Martin Jol was the manager and there was a lot of things I learned at the club in that short period of time.
“But, I’ve said it enough times, coming here was a jump and a big jump at the time. I certainly felt that pretty quickly and then I think once you step inside this place as a footballer, it turns you.
“So, pretty much from the first day walking into the dressing room and meeting the manager, from then on in that was me.”
