Carrick is back in charge of the club until the end of the season, returning just over four years after he took interim responsibility for three matches following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's dismissal in November 2021.

While many fans have welcomed his return, the appointment has also reinforced a growing sense that United are stagnating and lacking clear direction.

Since Carrick's previous stint, the club have cycled through Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim as permanent managers, with the FA Cup triumph in 2024 standing as their only major success in that period.

"I certainly don't think it's soulless, I think there's a magic around this place," he said. "I feel at home straight away, coming into the building.

"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.

"Sometimes, from the outside, things look a little bit different, but it certainly doesn't feel majorly different on the inside.

"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."

United are not competing in Europe this season and face a significant challenge to qualify for continental competition next term.

Supporter discontent has increasingly focused on the ownership structure involving Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family.

Ineos became minority investors in December 2023, a move initially heralded as the start of a new era, but Ratcliffe has already lost the trust of many fans. Senior figures Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox are also under scrutiny.

Protests are planned ahead of the Premier League match against Fulham on February 1, with further demonstrations possible if Ratcliffe and Glazer brothers Joel and Avram attend the derby at Old Trafford on Saturday. All three were present at Carrington on Thursday for meetings.

Betway Premiership: Orlando Pirates aim to maintain momentum against Sekhukhune