Hardly anyone would have picked Carrick to be Man Utd boss – but now?

Michael Carrick is far too experienced to get coaxed into giving away whether he wants to become Manchester United’s next permanent manager.

He is happier revealing his kids were in the away section at Emirates Stadium, joining the throng in a bout of unbridled glee when Matheus Cunha scored United’s brilliant third and then again when the whistle went to confirm a 3-2 victory, their first win at Arsenal in eight years.

We cannot know whether Carrick’s two children were among those still singing in Carrick’s honour 15 minutes after the final whistle. But given the collective noise being made by the 3,000-strong visiting support, they probably were.

Minority United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe looked pleased enough in the directors’ box. There have not been many moments to smile about in the two years he has been running the football side at Old Trafford. This certainly was one.

United have marked Carrick’s first two matches in charge with successive wins. It was something Ruben Amorim managed once in his 14-month tenure – as part of a run of three successes earlier this season that earned him the October manager of the month award.

United have amassed six points under Carrick. It took Amorim five games to get to seven – and he lost the next three matches.

United have taken twice as many points from their past two games – against the teams first and second in the table – as they collected from the three before that, against Leeds, Wolves and Burnley, three of the current bottom five.

Six weeks ago, hardly anyone would have chosen Carrick as United’s next manager in preference to Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner.

But now?

The voices, and there were plenty, who cautioned against United repeating what happened in 2018-19 are having their argument undermined in front of their eyes.

Seven seasons ago, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer came in as interim, won eight games in a row, then six out of the following nine, ending with an astounding Champions League success against Paris St-Germain, when United overturned a two-goal first-leg deficit away from home, and was given the job.

Solskjaer would lead United to a Europa League final in 2021, but the early promise was not maintained.

Results have an irritating way of cutting across reasoned opinion – not that Carrick shows any sign of getting swept along.

When he talks about “riding” the current situation, he means his players and the emotion felt by beating Manchester City and Arsenal.

He did allow himself a bounce on the touchline as Cunha’s 87th-minute shot headed for the far corner of David Raya’s goal.

But who can blame him? Three minutes earlier, they had conceded an equaliser in a game they seemed to have in the bag.

“You have to ride it, and use the emotion, the energy and confidence,” he said afterwards. “But you also have to be humble and realise how we have achieved these two results.

“We can’t look too far ahead. We won’t anyway but looking too far ahead can bite you.”

The interviewer from Sky Sports tried to get Carrick to say he wanted the job. It wasn’t a debate he wanted to be involved in.

“I am here to do a job,” he said. “When I came here less than two weeks ago, I said we would make every decision for the bigger picture.

“We are not getting carried away. It is two huge results, but we will keep our feet on the ground.

“I am enjoying it and I will continue to do what I can.”

Carrick has corrected some glaring issues from the Amorim regime – moving away from his predecessor’s 3-4-3 set-up and returning to four at the back, recalling Kobbie Mainoo, pushing captain Bruno Fernandes further forward.

He has also made some bold ones. The decision to select Patrick Dorgu ahead of Matheus Cunha for the left-sided attacking role has proved inspired. Dorgu has scored twice in Carrick’s two games, while Cunha adding his brilliant winner at Arsenal to the assist he provided for United’s second against Manchester City.

“He [Cunha] epitomises what we’ve been like,” said Carrick. “He has not started both games and he’s been disappointed not to start. But he’s used it in a really good way. He’s had a real big impact and two huge moments.

“I fancied him to score when the ball came out of his feet. He totally deserves it because of how he has applied himself.”

Cunha told Match of the Day there is a “different energy” about Carrick’s United.

“He played here so many years,” he said. “He knows the feeling for Manchester United. He spoke with us and told us how big it is to play for this club. He said everyone is against us, so we have to go on the pitch and give everything.”

It is up to other to assess Carrick’s impact because he won’t assess himself.

“What a job he is doing,” Micah Richards said on Sky Sports. “The overall spirit looks different. The big question was: Could they back up the win over Manchester City? They backed it up all right.”

Three weeks ago, Carrick was on holiday with Wayne Rooney in Barbados. On Friday, the pair sat together at Old Trafford watching Kai Rooney help United’s Under-18 team reach the last 16 of the FA Youth Cup.

If anyone knows how Carrick is feeling, it is Rooney.

“Two wins out of two against Manchester City and Arsenal,” he said. “I don’t think he would have dreamed of that start when he took over last week.

“You’ve seen a complete change in everything since he’s been in.”