Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has sent his best wishes to former manager Alex Ferguson after the club legend was taken to hospital for precautionary checks ahead of Sunday’s clash with Liverpool FC.

Ferguson, 84, reportedly felt unwell while at Old Trafford, where he had arrived to watch one of English football’s biggest rivalries in the Premier League. He was later taken to hospital, with no immediate update on his condition.

Speaking after United’s 3-2 victory, Carrick said the news had affected him but remained hopeful the former manager would recover quickly.

“I did hear about it before the game, so I was aware,” Carrick said. “All I can say is I wish him the best. I’m very affected by the news and just hope he’s alright. We don’t know the latest, but we hope he’s in good shape and we wish him all the best.”

‘Win boosts Ferguson’

Carrick added that he hopes the result could offer some encouragement to his former mentor. “Hopefully the result, when he hears about it, can give him a boost,” he said.

Ferguson is widely regarded as one of football’s greatest managers, having led Manchester United to 13 Premier League titles and two UEFA Champions League trophies during his 26-year tenure from 1986 to 2013. He won a total of 38 trophies with the club and remained involved as an ambassador until 2025.

Before his success in England, Ferguson also enjoyed a decorated spell in Scotland, winning league titles and domestic cups with Aberdeen, and managing both St Mirren FC and the Scotland national football team, including at the 1986 FIFA World Cup.