Manchester United fans delighted as Michael Carrick begins coaching role earlier than expected

He's been a great servant to the club.

Michael Carrick officially embarked on a new chapter on Saturday afternoon as the midfielder was listed as a coach on Manchester United's teamsheet for the visit of Swansea City to Old Trafford. The United captain took up a position on the bench as part of Jose Mourinho's staff ahead of officially joining the backroom team when he hangs up the boots at the end of the season. "It's only for next season really but, this season, he is already coming and sharing a little bit of our space," Mourinho said before the game.

"We are opening the door for him to not have a difficult transition next season. So, this season, he's doing little things. "He is learning, not the football of course, but the other side of the life and I think it's a good experience for him until the end of the season. Maybe, in three or four matches, it's another experience for him to share the bench from a different perspective."

Carrick joined United from Tottenham in 2006 and has made 463 appearances for the Red Devils, winning five Premier League titles, an FA Cup, the Champions League, three League Cups and the Europa League. https://twitter.com/ManUtd/status/980080736450547712 https://twitter.com/RooKnee56/status/980085309592358913 https://twitter.com/IQVisionball/status/980082955753320448 https://twitter.com/MENCKelly/status/980082609593176064 https://twitter.com/aan8103/status/980082483487264769 https://twitter.com/AlexanderJuul/status/980082105949581312 https://twitter.com/KooMi1/status/980081952777646080