The voices, and there were plenty, who cautioned against United repeating what happened in 2018-19 are having their argument undermined in front of their eyes.

Seven seasons ago, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer came in as interim, won eight games in a row, then six out of the following nine, ending with an astounding Champions League success against Paris St-Germain, when United overturned a two-goal first-leg deficit away from home, and was given the job.

Solskjaer would lead United to a Europa League final in 2021, but the early promise was not maintained.

Results have an irritating way of cutting across reasoned opinion – not that Carrick shows any sign of getting swept along.

When he talks about “riding” the current situation, he means his players and the emotion felt by beating Manchester City and Arsenal.

He did allow himself a bounce on the touchline as Cunha’s 87th-minute shot headed for the far corner of David Raya’s goal.

But who can blame him? Three minutes earlier, they had conceded an equaliser in a game they seemed to have in the bag.

“You have to ride it, and use the emotion, the energy and confidence,” he said afterwards. “But you also have to be humble and realise how we have achieved these two results.

“We can’t look too far ahead. We won’t anyway but looking too far ahead can bite you.”

The interviewer from Sky Sports tried to get Carrick to say he wanted the job. It wasn’t a debate he wanted to be involved in.

“I am here to do a job,” he said. “When I came here less than two weeks ago, I said we would make every decision for the bigger picture.

“We are not getting carried away. It is two huge results, but we will keep our feet on the ground.

“I am enjoying it and I will continue to do what I can.”