Michael Carrick 'can't rule out' late Man Utd title tilt amid dream start as manager

A hard-fought 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday served as the latest evidence of United's revival, lifting them to third place on goal difference ahead of Aston Villa. While the gap to Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal remains a daunting 13 points ahead of Wednesday’s clash with Newcastle United, Carrick is keeping the door ajar for a miracle. The interim boss believes that despite the mathematical disadvantage, his side's blistering form means anything is possible in the final months of the campaign.

"You can't rule anything out in football, but we've got to be realistic and know where it's at," Carrick said when questioned about a potential title tilt. "I think we've just got to try and keep winning games and see. Above us now there's two fantastic teams. There's some really good teams in and around us. We've had a good run, we're certainly not getting carried away. Of course, I'm being realistic about it. We have to win a lot of football matches for that to happen."

The stats certainly back up the optimism surrounding the Theatre of Dreams. United have recorded six wins in seven games since Carrick’s appointment, boasting the best record in the division over that period. Despite the building hype, the manager is determined to keep his feet on the ground. "Football is a tough game to get results," he added. "It's not so much guarding against [a drop in form], it's living in the moment, staying in the moment, keep grounded and down to earth with understanding what it takes to win games. We won't get carried away, you've got to feed off the confidence and understand that runs of wins are hard to come by. We're hungry for more and we need to try and make it last as long as it can and stay consistent."

Carrick’s Midas touch has inevitably sparked a frenzy of speculation regarding his long-term future. Originally brought in to steady the ship, his tactical acumen and man-management have led many to suggest he should be handed the job on a permanent basis, a sentiment reportedly echoed within the dressing room. While the hierarchy considers its next move, Carrick continues to focus on the pitch, though he admitted with a laugh that the questions regarding his employment status are becoming a weekly ritual.

He added on the Man Utd manager position: "It's going to be every week, isn't it, this? There's no getting away from the situation of course. There's not really an awful lot I can say about it to be honest. I love being here. I love doing what I'm doing. I've said it from the start, I'm not making any decisions for short-term or quick fixes. Winning games helps and the boys are doing great with that. We'll just have to see where it ends up. There's not really much I can give you on top of that at the moment, really."

With massive fixtures against Liverpool and Aston Villa still to come at Old Trafford, and a high-stakes trip to Chelsea on the horizon, the margin for error is slim. Carrick is well aware that Champions League qualification remains the priority, even if the title talk provides a romantic backdrop to their current run. He praised the spirit of a squad that looked broken just two months ago but has now found its identity under his guidance.

"I wouldn't use the word surprise. I think you always strive to win games. It's understanding it's difficult, but not looking too far ahead. Every game is winnable," he said. "I didn't get too far ahead in terms of what was possible at [the start]. We had to get to work quickly and put things into practice, and try and be fair to the players, to give the players the right information and the right balance to go into the next game, that was the first thing. I know some of the players, I've known some of the players more than others but now I've got to know everybody and it's a really good group. Talent-wise, ability-wise, the boys have shown what they can do. And then there's that balance of good habits, good behaviours, actually looking after each other. There's certain times we've got to really dig in and show that good spirit and team spirit. I can't speak highly enough of the players at the moment."