Manchester United interim manager Michael Carrick continued his dream start to his second stint in charge with a thrilling 3-2 win at Arsenal on Sunday and insisted his team must harness the confidence that has lifted the Old Trafford mood.

Carrick, who returned to the managerial hot seat following Ralf Rangnick’s departure, has now overseen two impressive victories: a 2-0 win over Manchester City and Sunday’s stunning triumph against Premier League leaders Arsenal.

“We’ve got to ride it and use the emotion, the energy, and the confidence,” Carrick said after United climbed to fourth in the table. “At the same time, you’ve got to be humble enough to recognise how special these two results are. They don’t come easy. We need to keep that momentum, bottle it, and use it again.”

United had to dig deep after a tough opening half-hour, during which Arsenal dominated and took the lead through a Lisandro Martinez own goal. The visitors were gifted an equaliser by Bryan Mbeumo, before Patrick Dorgu and Matheus Cunha scored stunning second-half strikes to seal United’s first league win at the Emirates since 2017.

“The goals were fantastic, and some of the football was very good. We looked dangerous at times,” Carrick, a multiple Premier League winner with United, said. “Other times, we had to defend, but overall it was a performance with a bit of everything.”

Carrick is no stranger to success in caretaker roles. During his three-game stint in 2021, he also went unbeaten, including a 3-2 win at Arsenal, before handing over to Ralf Rangnick. With the interim role confirmed until the end of the season, he now has the chance to make a case for the permanent position.

Asked about his long-term ambitions, the 44-year-old said: “I’m just enjoying the moment and focusing on the next game. We’ve been together less than two weeks, so it’s about building good habits and routines. The boys have been fantastic with that. We’ll finish where we finish by getting the results.”