Senne Lammens has outlined the message Michael Carrick delivered to the squad on his first day in charge and how effective it has proved to be, with Manchester United losing only one game under Carrick, winning seven and drawing two.

Their form has lifted them into the fight for Champions League qualification, with United now sitting third on 55 points, one ahead of fourth-placed Aston Villa, representing a dramatic turnaround from earlier in the season when former manager Ruben Amorim left them seventh upon his departure in January.

The squad struggled to reach their current performance levels before Carrick arrived, and the former midfielder's impact was almost immediate, with United stringing together win after win, including four consecutive victories before the 1-1 draw at West Ham, a run that included impressive results against Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham.

For Lammens, the clarity of Carrick's message made all the difference, as he was able to clearly communicate his expectations to the team.

"The first thing, from the first day, was his ability to make everything quite clear and present a direct message," he explained to The Athletic, adding that "He didn't make it too difficult for us or too complicated."

Senne Lammens has hailed the job Michael Carrick has done so far, as seen in the image captured by Getty Images.

"Sometimes, managers make a plan too complicated, and then some players don't buy in and it's difficult to get on the same level for everyone, but from the first game, it was quite clear what he wanted," Lammens noted.

"He was not asking the most difficult things, but also he was able to let our players thrive in their qualities, and at the back, not giving goals away is one of the most important things, and then our players in front can make a difference, that's probably what has been working the best," Lammens explained.

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The shot-stopper, currently on international duty with Belgium, also noted that Carrick instilled confidence in the group, which has helped them avoid conceding early or conceding first in games, a crucial aspect of their recent success.

"We don't really give away a lot of goals in the beginning of the game, which is probably one of the most important things in the Premier League," Lammens added, highlighting the team's improvement in this area.

"Michael has given us a lot of confidence and a lot of stability from the back, and at the beginning of the season, there were a couple of players injured and a couple of defenders coming in and going out, making it difficult to get the rhythm," Lammens said.

"It was difficult to get the rhythm, but the last couple of games have been better as well, for example, with centre-back Harry Maguire in front of me, he is also a beast, so it's always nice to have him there," Lammens noted, praising his teammate.

They have conceded only 11 goals in nine games under Carrick, a testament to the team's defensive improvement, and the end of the season is looking bright for the Reds, who are not in action again until Monday, April 13, when they host Leeds United at Old Trafford before a crunch trip to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

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