Tottenham: Michael Carrick impact at Manchester United adds to heat on Thomas Frank at Spurs

Carrick has shown how quickly the right change inject new life into a club

Thomas Frank remains under scrutiny following Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Burnley

AFP via Getty Images

Tottenham are caught between a rock and a hard place after Saturday’s draw with Burnley.

Supporters again made their feelings clear with chants against Thomas Frank at Turf Moor as the club continues to consider its next move.

Spurs have been determined to stick with Frank and sacking him now would be admitting his appointment has not worked.

But Michael Carrick has shown at Manchester United that a change in message and approach can inject new life into a struggling club.

United were a mess under Ruben Amorim but they have been transformed under Carrick and have beaten both Manchester City and Arsenal in his first two games since taking over.

Michael Carrick has transformed Manchester United

Manchester United via Getty Images

It is still early days but Carrick has reinstalled a sense of pride and got the team playing in a way supporters demand.

Spurs fans, who chanted “sideways and backwards everywhere we go” as their side struggled to break down Burnley , are crying out for something positive to get behind.

Growing calls for Mauricio Pochettino to return point to that fact, and Spurs must consider that a short-term appointment could help restore connection with fans as they wait for the managerial market to open up in the summer.

There is no standout candidate to come in and do what Carrick has done at United, who also considered Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Ryan Mason has experience as interim boss at Spurs and is out of work, but only because he has just been sacked by West Brom after just 27 games in charge at the Hawthorns.

John Heitinga has just been brought in as an assistant to Frank, though he was sacked by Ajax in November after less than six months in charge.

But the atmosphere at Spurs means a fresh face of any kind would surely provide a boost ahead of a nightmare run of games in November.

Spurs are already nervously looking over their shoulder and face Manchester City, Manchester United , Newcastle and Arsenal in February.

They could soon be dragged into a relegation scrap and an interim appointment must surely be considered to lift them out of their gloom.