Sesko’s stoppage-time winner for Man Utd against Fulham maintains Carrick’s perfect start

Wins over Manchester City and Arsenal have breathed life into what was Manchester United’s listless season and raised the prospect of Michael Carrick becoming the permanent manager.

Today, they face Fulham at home in a match that, unlike the encounters against their city rivals and the league leaders, they are expected to win. So, in that sense this is the first big test of Carrick’s time in the Old Trafford hotseat – win and the interim manager will have another helpful addition to the ‘he should get the job full time’ arguement, lose and the feel-good factor created by the past two victories will vanish.

Victory against Fulham would see Carrick match predecessor Ruben Amorim’s best Premier League run of three successive wins.

The coach, however, believes it would be “bang out of order” for United to assume they would win against a side he expects to provide a “big challenge”.

Carrick said: “It’s unpredictable, things can happen within a game, but the reaction from the last game, coming back into the training and the focus, if anything it’s gone up even more.

“The intensity in the training is a very, very good level, so that’s all I can ask.”

There will be a fan protest against the Glazers and Sir Jim Ratcliffe at the match today, on announced a month ago, before the two unexpected wins.

Speaking about the protest, Carrick said: “I don’t think it connects with the two wins, to be honest.

“I think it doesn’t affect the team. I fully respect the supporters. They’re incredible, they have been for so long.

“They’ve had a lot of highs and some downs as well, but, you know, I’m not offended by it or anything, and the players certainly aren’t.

“I think within the stadium the support we’ve felt – and that’s been there for all the games that I’ve watched for quite some time – has been of the highest level and I’m sure it’ll continue to be like that.

“The connection that we’ve had over the last couple of weeks has been pretty special and we’ve both fed off that.

“I think the supporters have fed off it, we have as a group, the players certainly have, and that’s something we need to keep building on.”

Stay here for all the team news, and action, with kick off set for 2pm.