MANCHESTER UNITED CARETAKER manager Michael Carrick says he has not yet spoken to incoming interim boss Ralf Rangnick.

United confirmed the appointment of Rangnick earlier this week but the German is still to receive a work permit.

That means Carrick remains in charge for Thursday’s Premier League clash with Arsenal at Old Trafford and Rangnick is unable to offer any input.

“I haven’t got anything to update on,” said Carrick, who has overseen the two games since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked.

“The process of the work permit and visa is ongoing as we speak.

“I am in this position, as I was for Villarreal and Chelsea. I’m getting the boys ready for game tomorrow night.

“It is pretty much as it was for both games. Because of the process we haven’t been able to (speak).

“We have carried on as we have done. It has worked well for the last two games and hopefully it will tomorrow.”

Rangnick is expected to be in the stands on Thursday with the club hoping he can formally take charge ahead of Sunday’s visit of Crystal Palace.

Carrick, who served as assistant coach to Solskjaer and his predecessor Jose Mourinho, would then revert to a backroom role but the former United midfielder admits he has enjoyed his spell in the hot seat.

The 40-year-old said: “A lot has happened in the last week to 10 days. I have certainly had to adapt and take on a new challenge and different skills sets.

“I’ve enjoyed seeing how I’ve coped with that at times. You don’t know until you are in this situation.

“Sometimes you have to learn on the job and that has been the case but, I have to say, for the most part of it I have enjoyed it.”

One big decision Carrick took was to name five-times world player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench for last weekend’s trip to Chelsea.

It was a bold move and it paid off, to a degree, as United claimed a point against the Premier League leaders but Carrick has played down its significance.

“These type of decisions get blown up a lot bigger than they probably are,” he said at a press conference. “Decisions are made for a lot of different reasons and certain ones get bigger news than others, but that is how it was.

“I didn’t see it as being a major decision. It certainly wasn’t within the camp. We all got on really well with it. The game went well, to a certain extent, and it wasn’t a drama at all.”

Meanwhile, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has admitted his side’s preparation for the trip to Manchester United has been trickier than usual but is determined to make sure last season’s victory at Old Trafford was not a one-off.

“He has been one of top coaches and, in every involvement he has had in game, not just coaching, he has made some radical changes in areas so he is a really interesting person in the football world and a really interesting appointment,” Arteta said of Rangnick

“We tried to gather information to understand more about what to expect and we don’t know. We didn’t know if he would be sitting on the bench, taking training sessions so in terms of the preparation it was a little trickier than usual because you don’t really know the influence the new coach will have.

“You do know what to expect when you play at that stadium, in front of the crowd and with a team and squad that is probably one of the most talented in the league, so you know the situations you are going to face.

“It is very difficult tactically because you don’t know how they will prepare for the game, the options they can play and the formations they can vary. So, it is focused more on ourselves, what we have to do and to make sure the team is prepared to go there and beat them.”