Michael Carrick claims there is still 'magic' around Man Utd as interim boss fires fans up for Manchester derby and discusses chances of landing permanent role

United have won just three of their last 12 games in all competitions while last season they registered their lowest league finish in 51 years and missed out on European football for the first time in 11 years. In addition to the drab results there have been many instances of supporter unrest, first against the Glazer family and more recently against minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe. A new protest by the outspoken 1958 group has been organised ahead of the game against Fulham in February.

Carrick, who spent a trophy-laden 12 years as a United player in which he lifted the Champions League and five Premier League titles, has a daunting first match in charge against Manchester City. But rather than be dragged down by the apathy amid so much upheaval, he looked to the club's glorious past.

Carrick told a press conference: "I certainly don't think it's soulless, I think there's a magic around this place. I feel at home straight away, coming into the building, coming in and around it. I've obviously been around it for quite some time and then missed a little window but I think there's a magic around this place, you can't help but feel that. Results and sometimes from the outside things look a little bit different but it certainly doesn't feel majorly different on the inside, I have to say that. 

"Part of my role and responsibility is shaping what we want to look like going forward as a group. What happens on the pitch and the tactical side and the performances is one thing but certainly the culture as well and how we think, how we act, how we behave, what it means to us to be here, that's something that is part of my responsibility to spread in the right way."

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While predecessor Ruben Amorim often spoke negatively about United's squad as a whole as well as individual players, Carrick spoke positively about the players' potential and their attitude from what he had seen so far. 

He said: "I've been back in this role for three days and there's nothing that I've looked at and that's really red flagged anything I have to say. The plays have been really good, willing to listen, willing to learn, wanting to do better, wanting to do better for the club, wanting to put better performances in, that's the feeling I've got, the support staff and everyone's desperate to do well as I've just said and we need to channel that. 

"Of course, the culture is something that happens day to day, it's not something I sit here and talk about and a few words here and there and it makes it sound good, it's how you behave and what you end up doing day to day. so that's something we've got to build but certainly at the moment I feel it's a good place and the training ground has been a really good place and we need to make Old Trafford tomorrow an even better place with the help of the supporters as well and that's the magic of what we're trying to do."

Carrick's title is head coach rather than interim or caretaker coach although United stressed when he was announced as Amorim's successor that he would be appointed until the end of the season. Carrick said he had not spoken to United about his future beyond May.

He explained: "I think we're realistic as well and where we are at the moment, why I'm here and the role I've got to do. That doesn't change how we go about it in the day-to-day and the focus and making decisions for the long-term strategy of the group and the playing squad and whatever that adds on extra and the layers after that. 

"I'm certainly not coming in thinking it's a time where week to week, game to game, we've got to get through it and tick each one off. I think we want to plan to improve beyond this season and however that looks at this moment, it's all I can control is what we give the players and how we create the atmosphere around the group. That's the main focus and we'll see what happens after that." 

"I'm here because I enjoy the role and I wanted to do it and I'm hugely privileged to be in this position," he said. "That's kind of where I am, it doesn't change whatever the term or whatever the length. I'm here to do my best and hopefully I've got a lot of experience of what it takes and where we need to get to and I'll try and help with that.

 Asked whether he harboured ambitions about staying long term, he added: "I'm here because I enjoy the role and I wanted to do it and I'm hugely privileged to be in this position. That's kind of where I am, it doesn't change whatever the term or whatever the length. I'm here to do my best and hopefully I've got a lot of experience of what it takes and where we need to get to and I'll try and help with that."