Former Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick says Newcastle United must try to manage expectations after their ownership change.

Geordie Carrick can understand Toon fans being excited about the club's future under their Saudi owners.

"It's great to see," he told Chronicle Live. "The city is positive. That's the thing with Newcastle: how the football team is doing has such an impact on everyone in the city.

"The knock-on effect is massive. I can feel it coming back with how positive people are."

Carrick says the closest he came to signing for Newcastle was when he left West Ham in 2004.

"The closest was probably in the early days when I was at West Ham and Sir Bobby Robson was manager at the time," Carrick said. "They were looking to sign me.

"I think they ended up signing Nicky Butt in the end from Man United, but that's just football. For whatever reason, things go your way or don't. To be honest, it's not something I look back on at all and regret. It just is what it is."