Michael Carrick's first interview: New Man Utd boss challenges misfiring stars

Michael Carrick laid down a challenge to Manchester United's misfiring stars after being appointed head coach until the end of the season.

Carrick will be assisted by former England No 2 Steve Holland and his old Middlesbrough first-team coach Jonathan Woodgate.

United's Under-21s coach Travis Binnion and ex-defender Jonny Evans, who joined the back-room team when Darren Fletcher was installed as caretaker boss last week, will continue to work under Carrick, although Fletcher will to revert to the Under-18s.

Carrick beat Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ruud van Nistelrooy to the job with United keen to appoint someone with a knowledge of the club to speed up the transition process after Ruben Amorim was sacked.

The decision also buys the club time to assess their options in the months ahead before making a permanent appointment.

Carrick, 44, set out how he expects his team to play as he prepares to face Manchester City in his first match in charge on Saturday.

'Hopefully we can play a really exciting type of football,' he told United's Inside Carrington podcast.

'I want to be off my seat and enjoying watching the boys play. I'm buzzing to get started and see what we can do.

'I'm one of the fans myself. Trust me, my family's on my case. I know the responsibility's there, and I'm desperate for us to do well.'

Describing his return to the club where he was a player for 12 years, first-team coach and caretaker boss for three games in 2021, Carrick said: 'It's unbelievable feeling to come back through the doors and be part of the club again – it's been part of my life for so long and never really left me.

'Coming to work was giving me butterflies in a really good way. I felt the love and everyone willing to kind of pull in the right direction.

'But it also feels very natural, to be honest, very normal. I understand the job and the responsibility I've got.

'It's a big old football club, my favourite one in the world. The highs are high and the disappointments can be low, and that's why it's worth the effort to try and get there because it means something.'

Carrick inherits a team currently seventh in the table with the aim of qualifying for Europe this season after United were dumped out of both domestic cup competitions at the first hurdle.

The 44-year-old couldn't wish for a harder start with the Manchester derby at Old Trafford on Saturday followed by a trip to Premier League leaders Arsenal.

'The big games are what we all live for,' he added. 'Some are more challenging than others so we'll go for it head on.

'Old Trafford is a magical place, isn't it, I think, and it's always the mystique of what can happen.'

Carrick welcomed the addition of Holland and Woodgate to his backroom team, saying: 'Steve's got, an unbelievable wealth of experience at Chelsea.

'Jonathan is loyal and very knowledgeable. He's the perfect balance for me, I think that's important you know. He pushes me. He has done for the last three years and he'll keep doing.'

The players were off on Tuesday but will return to Carrington on Wednesday morning for Carrick's first training session ahead of Saturday's derby.