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Michael Carrick's players, both former and current, have endorsed the Manchester United head coach's training methods. Carrick has taken the role for the rest of the season after Ruben Amorim was dismissed, having failed to establish his vision during 14 difficult months at the helm.

With the task of delivering Champions League qualification, Carrick has moved quickly to implement changes both on and off the field. The initial indicators look extremely encouraging after Saturday's derby triumph against Manchester City.

Among the alterations Carrick - backed by assistant Steve Holland and coaches Jonathan Woodgate and Jonny Evans - has introduced are shorter but more demanding training sessions.

Instructions have been direct and clear, while there's been greater emphasis on individual coaching. One player who's been won over by Carrick's methods is experienced centre-back Harry Maguire. After the victory over City, he commented: "He's got great ideas. He speaks really well. Tactically, he's really, really good.

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"And obviously, now he's had a lot of experience at Middlesbrough as a manager. And I'm sure he's going to come in here and implement his ideas."

The 32-year-old continued: "I must say, with him and all his coaching staff, I've been really impressed this week. He's trying to bring new energy, new ideas, without drilling us too much at this moment tactically. I think he just wants to bring the energy back in the building. That's so important."

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Players Carrick managed at Middlesbrough, the club he departed last summer, were equally taken with his approach. Caolan Boyd-Munce, currently at League One Wycombe, praised his ability to make things simple.

He told TeesideLive: "I remember in the first week he took us as a midfield four. We had a session just the four us and the drills he was doing... You might call it basic stuff but it was the way he explained and described it. It just made so much sense.

"We were thinking, 'How have we not seen this before? Everything he does and says, he just simplifies everything and makes it so easy to understand.

"I think there's a perception that he'll be in the changing room going really in-depth and detailed into everything. But quite the opposite, he just breaks the game down so simply."

Meanwhile, Jonny Howson, 37, who has moved into coaching himself with Leeds United U21s, revealed how Carrick left players in no doubt about his expectations and wouldn't hesitate to stop training if standards slipped.

He told The Athletic: "Until you deal with someone day-to-day, you don't realise why he was at the top for so many years. He never accepted, or accepts, where he's at. He always wanted to get better. He's said that to us numerous times.

"It's a good atmosphere, calm, inside the building but when you're out on the training pitch, he will let you know if it's not being done right. We've seen that a few times. He will stop a session or a drill and tell you it's not good enough."

Carrick and United supporters will be hoping the fresh approach can spur United on to another positive result against Arsenal on Sunday.

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