How has Carrick helped Man Utd close in on Champions League

On the surface, it seems quite simple.

Michael Carrick followed Darren Fletcher's lead in ditching Ruben Amorim's three at the back formation, pushed skipper Bruno Fernandes into a more forward role, recalled Kobbie Mainoo to play alongside Casemiro and stuck with it.

Across his 10 games in charge, Carrick has made just six changes to his starting line-up.

Two of those were enforced.

United's relative lack of games - they are currently in a stretch of 23 days without one - means rotation is a choice rather than a necessity.

Yet Carrick's impact goes far deeper.

Club sources note the sense of calm that has settled across the club.

The 44-year-old is a relaxed individual - the epitome of someone who does not get carried away by success or overly despondent by failure.

In public, that comes across in his media briefings.

"I'm not going to sit here and get angry with you if that's what you're asking," was Carrick's response when he was asked before the 2-2 draw at Bournemouth if he ever used anger as a management tool.

The attitude is in stark contrast to Amorim, who admitted to getting emotional at the performances of his team. That led him to make ill-advised news conference comments.

Rather than being on edge, United's staff at their Carrington training complex feed off Carrick's attitude and the feeling is they are delivering more.

Meetings between the head coach and Wilcox are fewer now, it is said, because there are not as many day-to-day issues to address.

Sources who know Carrick say his intention has been to strip training back to basics. That has resulted in the shorter sessions critics have argued show the players are not being worked hard enough.

Sources close to the players say the squad are unified, happy and enjoying their work.

Twenty-three points from 10 games since Carrick's appointment is the highest in the Premier League over that period.

During this period, some of the alternatives to Carrick for the permanent role have either suffered reputational damage or become unavailable - Roberto de Zerbi would become the latest if he accepts the Tottenham job.

United's stance remains they do not want to be bounced into an appointment, and will take their time reaching a decision.

The reality is they are yet to speak to anyone else.

There are some elements of Carrick's management that cannot be answered this season - including how he copes with a 60-game campaign, compared to this one with its optimum preparation time, which has allowed Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire and Casemiro to play every game under him.

There is also the reality that after pushing for Amorim's appointment, Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada risk their own reputations if they get another major call wrong.

Nothing is certain until an appointment is made, but if United maintain their momentum and qualify for the Champions League, it is hard to imagine Carrick not being given the job.