One of the most impressive aspects of Carrick’s reign has been the speed at which the players have adopted his methods. Transitioning from one coaching philosophy to another mid-season is rarely seamless, yet United have looked remarkably coherent under his watch, also picking up wins against Fulham and Spurs.
“The boys have been good,” Carrick continued. “It’s not easy with change and to click into gear and to perform the way they have done in different types of games has probably been as pleasing as anything.
“Obviously the first two games, in some ways, they take care of themselves because of the emotion and how everyone’s kind of up for them but the games after them have been, for me, just as good to see the boys’ reaction and the quality of the play.
“Going into those games, it was challenging and then, three days before the City game [me and the staff] come in… again, that's why I credit the players for putting themselves forward really, and reacting to change.
“But certainly those two games give you a massive boost of all sorts of emotions to use moving forward, which was the key.
“After those games are done, it’s what happens next and that's what I've been really delighted with, the reaction after that.”