Sheffield United’s big rivals Middlesbrough could face fight to keep hold of boss Michael Carrick

Sheffield United’s big promotion rivals Middlesbrough could face a fight to keep hold of their manager after he was lined up by a top-flight club, according to reports this week.

Boro have been transformed under the guidance of Michael Carrick, the former West Ham and Manchester United midfielder, in his first permanent coaching role.

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And that good work, guiding Boro to third in the Championship table and giving their fans hope of overtakng the Blades and winning automatic promotion this season, has not gone unnoticed elsewhere, with Carrick’s former club West Ham reportedly eyeing him as a potential replacement if they pull the trigger on David Moyes.

West Ham were hammered 4-0 by Brighton at the weekend and are 16th in the Premier League table, just a point above the drop zone.

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United restored their seven-point cushion over Boro in the table by beating Reading in Berkshire on Tuesday evening, with the promotion race shaping up to be a classic over the last 11 games of the regular season.