'Clarity is important' - Michael Carrick suggests now is the 'natural time' for Man Utd to make permanent manager decision

The former United midfielder has performed admirably since stepping into the breach in January after Ruben Amorim's sacking, but with only three games remaining, his long-term status at Old Trafford remains unresolved.

Speaking about the situation, Carrick noted: "Clarity is important … We’ve finished strong, put ourselves in a good position and the situation of my role and what it looks like moving forward, I think it’s just the natural time. It was always spoken about towards the end of the season, if not the end of the season."

The interim head coach has already achieved the primary objective of securing Champions League football for next season. However, despite the success on the pitch and the reported high probability that he will be offered the role, Carrick admits he is currently in the dark and has received no official confirmation from the club's hierarchy.

Reflecting on the productive period under his leadership, Carrick added: "At this stage it’s just putting the boys in a place to finish the season strongly and then, as I’ve said all along, I’m calm about it. It’ll get sorted out when it’s going to get sorted out. It’s out of my hands, so we’ll see what happens."

Since Carrick took over, United have collected more points than any other team in the Premier League, winning 10 of his 14 matches in charge. This remarkable run of form has seen the club climb to third place, and they travel to Sunderland this Saturday looking to cement that position before the season concludes.

Beyond the first-team matters, Carrick is also keeping a close eye on the club's youth prospects. He expressed his disappointment that the FA Youth Cup final against Manchester City will not be held at a major stadium, saying: "Getting to the Youth Cup final always seems to have always been a thing where you play at the main stadium and it’s such a showcase event for players of that age group. So we’re disappointed."

The uncertainty in the dugout coincides with significant changes in the Manchester United boardroom. The club confirmed on Thursday that Sir Dave Brailsford has left the board. A long-standing ally of INEOS owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Brailsford was a key figure during the initial stages of the new investment but has now officially severed ties with the club.