Senne Lammens reveals direct message Michael Carrick sent to Man Utd dressing room

View 2 Images

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. Manchester United have lost 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 . That represents 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. They even recorded 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.

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

View 2 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.

"He was not asking the most difficult things, but also he was able to let our players thrive in their qualities. 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."

FOLLOW OUR MAN UTD FB PAGE! Latest United news and more on our dedicated Facebook page

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.

"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.

"Michael has given us a lot of confidence and a lot of stability from the back. At the beginning of the season, there were a couple of players injured and a couple of defenders coming in and going out.

"It was difficult to get the rhythm. 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."