Michael Carrick to start for Manchester United against Watford in final Old Trafford appearance

The midfielder will join Mourinho's coaching staff upon ending his playing career

Michael Carrick will bring his playing career to an end this summer (Getty)

Michael Carrick will start Manchester United’s final league match of the season against Watford as he prepares to bring his playing career to an end and join Jose Mourinho’s coaching staff.

The 36-year-old Carrick confirmed in March that he would call time on his career, having made 463 appearances for United to date.

Carrick is unlikely to feature against his former club West Ham United on Thursday night but Mourinho has confirmed that United’s club captain would play from the off three days later against Watford.

“He will start the last match, Old Trafford, last match of the Premier League, our captain in front of our fans, he will start the match against Watford,” the United manager said at his pre-match press conference on Wednesday.

Carrick may be handed a place in Mourinho’s matchday squad for the FA Cup final against Chelsea on 19 May, but Sunday’s meeting with Watford is likely to be his 464th and final appearance.

Mourinho went on to praise Carrick’s qualities as “a proper man” and justified his decision to appoint the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder to his coaching staff.

“The most important quality is to be a man – M-A-N – capitals, a proper man,” Mourinho said. “Football is not full of them, society is not full of them, so when you find one of them, you have to value them.

“It’s not about me, it’s about the club. They had a great man playing football, but when his body says enough, we want to keep the man.

“He has qualities that we believe can make him a good coach, and there are many ways to make a bridge.

“Some guys prefer to study, go to youth football, but in this situation, we decided the bridge can be the bridge -- change shirts, dressing rooms and offices and start to be an assistant.

Mourinho added: “I give them very good conditions for their evaluation and I think Michael can be very positive for us.”