Michael Carrick has revitalised Manchester United

A nearly two-week break without a fixture is not typical for Manchester United. Yet that's the situation facing the Premier League heavyweights following elimination from the Carabao Cup and FA Cup plus the absence of European competition.

Despite the club almost inevitably concluding the campaign empty-handed, fans remain buoyant thanks to the remarkable transformation in performance and results under Michael Carrick since his arrival last month. Guiding his former team to four consecutive victories, including triumphs over Manchester City and Arsenal, their winning streak ended in the 1-1 stalemate with West Ham though the point maintained their fourth-place standing.

The break has enabled the likes of Matthijs de Ligt and Mason Mount to regain match fitness following their recovery from injuries to further strengthen United's pursuit of Champions League qualification. Here, the Daily Star Sport looks at Carrick's latest assertion of his influence and United's surprising transfer strategy.

Senne Lammens is one player to benefit from an old Ruben Amorim rules being dropped(Image: Marc Atkins, Getty Images)

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