Carrick 'nearly forgot' he was Man Utd's permanent boss

New Manchester United boss Michael Carrick nearly forgot the Premier League win at Brighton was his first permanent game in charge.

Carrick was confirmed as United's head coach on a two-year contract on Friday.

His status had been known for some time, yet he never made the connection to the game at Amex Stadium before he was reminded of it before kick-off.

"I half forgot that it was the first game since I've been announced because we were just carrying on as normal," he said. "Someone asked me about it before the game."

The 3-0 win at Brighton was United's 12th victory in Carrick's 17 matches at the helm.

It eased United back into the Champions League with three games to spare and ensured he got the job of replacing Ruben Amorim on an extended contract.

Carrick has repeatedly said the position feels "natural" to him, even though it has been too much for other more experienced bosses.

The 44-year-old is taking nothing for granted. But he is at ease in his surroundings.

"It helps I've been here for a long time and seen different levels of success, some ups and some downs," he said.

"I don't take that for granted. I don't think that just makes the job easier. It's trying to make the best of the situation.

"But I love doing it. I think we've got a good idea how we want to move forward. I just keep trying to draw on those experiences and trying to shape how we think and how we want it to look."