Michael Carrick insists that his flying start as Manchester United’s interim manager has done nothing to alter his prospects of taking the job on a permanent basis, despite a surge in results and optimism at Old Trafford.

The former United and England midfielder has overseen three straight league victories since stepping in, defeating Manchester City, Arsenal and Fulham to revive a season that had appeared to be drifting. The turnaround has prompted growing calls from some supporters and pundits for the club to remove the interim tag and hand Carrick the reins long term.

Carrick, however, is adamant that neither his mindset nor his ambitions have shifted. Speaking at a news conference ahead of Tottenham Hotspur’s visit to Old Trafford, he played down the suggestion that his early success should fast-track him into the permanent role.

“Nothing’s changed, no,” he said. “To be honest, it’s not going to change what I do or how I feel about it. I’m fully aware of the role I’m doing here and the responsibility I’ve got.”

United’s hierarchy remain committed to a full recruitment process as they search for a long-term successor to Ruben Amorim, who was dismissed last month after a poor run of form. Carrick was initially appointed only until the end of the season, and few fans viewed him as the obvious choice to lead a new era.

Yet the clarity of United’s play, the renewed intensity without the ball and the sense of calm around the squad have all contributed to a reassessment of his candidacy. Carrick, though, believes the club must resist being seduced by a brief burst of positive results.

“The results of a short period of time don’t change it,” he said. “If they have changed that, there is something wrong. It can’t be so knee-jerk, whether it’s really good or whether there are a few issues we need to solve. It’s steady progress really.”

With two games in four days against Tottenham and West Ham, Carrick has the opportunity to extend his perfect record to five wins from five before a 12-day break. For now, he is content to enjoy the work without demanding guarantees.

“I’m loving what I’m doing,” he added. “I’m here, I feel at home here, but I fully understand the situation, so I’m not getting too carried away.”