Manchester. Manchester United interim manager Michael Carrick said he is relishing his spell in charge but will not get carried away with talk of taking the job permanently despite overseeing three wins from his opening three matches.
United have revived their push for a top‑four Premier League finish with victories over leaders Arsenal, Manchester City and Fulham in the past month, following a turbulent period that saw manager Ruben Amorim’s departure and an FA Cup third‑round exit.
As the club continues its search for a full‑time manager, Carrick said recent results will not prompt a hasty decision.
"I think I'm fully aware of the role I'm doing here and the responsibility I've got," Carrick told reporters in Manchester ahead of Saturday's Premier League game against Tottenham Hotspur.
"We want to be successful. I want the club to be successful beyond the end of the season. If that's me, if that's somebody else at this stage, I can't control that and we'll see what happens. "The results over a short period of time don't change that. If they have changed that, there's something wrong. It can't be so knee-jerk either way, whether it's really good or whether there are a few issues we need to solve. It's steady progress, really." Carrick, who made 464 appearances for Manchester United across all competitions during his playing career, lifting five Premier League titles and one Champions League trophy with the club, added he is at home at Old Trafford. "I'm loving what I'm doing," the 44-year-old said.
"I feel at home here but I fully understand the situation, so I'm not getting too carried away."
United are currently fourth in the Premier League with 41 points in 24 games, 12 behind leaders Arsenal.
Arsenal go nine points clear in EPL
Arsenal marched nine points clear in the Premier League title race as Viktor Gyokeres hit two goals in a 3-0 victory over Sunderland on Saturday as Manchester United made it four wins out of four for coach Michael Carrick in their top-four push.
Third-placed Aston Villa dropped further behind Arsenal as they drew 1-1 with Bournemouth while Chelsea's Cole Palmer bagged a hat-trick in a 3-1 victory at bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers, including two penalties.
Eighteenth-placed West Ham United earned three vital points in their bid to avoid relegation, Crysencio Summerville and Taty Castellanos sealing a 2-0 win at second-from-bottom Burnley whose survival hopes now look remote.
Everton scored two late goals as they came from behind to win 2-1 at Fulham, the win lifting them to eighth. The celebrations at the final whistle at The Emirates were loud and long as joyous Arsenal fans displayed their belief that a first title since 2004 is now in sight.
Sunderland proved a tough nut to crack but Arsenal remained patient and were rewarded with a fourth successive victory in all competitions.
Arsenal dominated the first half at The Emirates but had to wait until the 42nd minute to get ahead when Martin Zubimendi's sweetly-struck low drive crept inside the post.
Gyokeres has struggled at times during his first season in north London since his move from Sporting, but he swept in a clinical finish in the 66th minute to make it 2-0.
Gabriel Martinelli then played in the Swede for his second deep into stoppage time.
No Premier League player has scored more goals across all competitions since the turn of the year than Gyokeres (six) and Arteta praised the Swedish striker's resilience.
"He doesn't seem too affected by the real highs or the lows and that's what we need - stability. He's very demanding of himself. He's constantly trying to improve," Arteta said.
Arsenal have 56 points from 25 games with Manchester City, who face Liverpool away on Sunday, on 47 from 24. Villa also have 47 points but their challenge is fading.
Meanwhile, Chelsea's Palmer became the first player in Premier League history to score three hat-tricks in the first half of a match, having also done it against Everton and Brighton and Hove Albion.
He now also has more Premier League hat-tricks than any other Chelsea player, after grabbing a fourth. Palmer put Chelsea ahead from the spot in the 13th minute after a foul on Joao Pedro and repeated the trick in the 35th minute after another foul on the same teammate.
