Carrick unfazed by Rooney support for Man Utd job
Michael Carrick decided to emphasise Manchester United's on-pitch achievements rather than respond directly to Wayne Rooney's endorsement for him to secure the permanent managerial role at Old Trafford, after their important 3-1 triumph over Aston Villa on Sunday.
Carrick's team boosted their chances of reaching next season's Champions League with second-half strikes from Casemiro, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko.
Manchester United sit in third position in the Premier League, leading Villa by three points in their pursuit of a top-four spot.
A seventh victory in nine matches under Carrick's interim leadership has placed United six points ahead of Chelsea in sixth, putting them in a strong position for Champions League qualification.
Rooney stated to BBC that his ex-team-mate Carrick should definitely receive the position.
"I know him very well," Rooney commented.
"I understand his character and personality. The club required a composed leader, someone familiar with the environment and the squad who could offer them support, and he has delivered that.
"We have witnessed the players displaying greater quality, greater unity as a unit, and they appear like a robust side. In my view, there is no reason to alter anything."
Carrick evidently desires to assume the role permanently following his distinguished career as a player at United.
His previous managerial stint concluded unsuccessfully at second-division Middlesbrough, yet the ex-England midfielder has demonstrated reliability at United since Ruben Amorim's chaotic tenure resulted in dismissal.
United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe recently praised Carrick's work as excellent but refrained from confirming his continuation beyond the current campaign.
It doesn't affect me
When questioned about disregarding rumours regarding his prospects, Carrick replied: "There is not much buzz, is there? Not referring to Wayne, but overall. It is merely buzz if you pay attention to it.
"It has zero impact on me, truthfully. I am in this role right now, giving my utmost, enjoying it greatly, and we continue striving for better.
"Our aim is to elevate the team as much as we can and sustain progress. Whatever occurs will occur."
Bruno Fernandes' two assists marked him as just the third Manchester United player in the Premier League period to achieve 100 goals and 100 assists, alongside Rooney and Ryan Giggs.
Fernandes has been central to United's revival under Carrick, and the Portuguese midfielder now boasts 16 assists this term, aiming to surpass the 20-assist mark for a Premier League season shared by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.
"Bruno has maintained this level for quite some time," Carrick noted. "In crucial instances, influencing play through goals or chances, he is usually involved."
Villa suffered a third straight league defeat, hampering their top-four ambitions, though manager Unai Emery highlighted the encouraging aspects.
"In general, I believe we accomplished positive elements but it fell short," he remarked. "We require additional effort, yet we are advancing.
"Following excellent periods in October, November and December, after struggling in the recent two months, we are regaining assurance, refining aspects of our setup, and the players are improving.
"The outcome today remains unchanged, we anticipated such a possibility since Manchester United at home are currently performing well and approached the game astutely, but we challenged them, and that is how I intend to proceed."