Manchester, England – Former Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher will lead the club as interim manager for the first time on Wednesday against Burnley, calling the role “beyond his wildest dreams.” Fletcher steps in following the sacking of Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim after 14 turbulent months at Old Trafford.

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Fletcher Describes Interim Role as a “Surreal” Honour

Speaking at a pre-match press conference, Fletcher reflected on his journey from player to coach:

“It’s surreal. It’s an amazing honour to lead a Manchester United team. I don’t even think it was in my wildest dreams that this could happen, even thinking about playing for the club.”

Fletcher, 41, has been involved with United since 2020 in roles including under-18 coach and technical director, making over 340 appearances as a player and winning five Premier League titles under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Despite the unexpected circumstances leading to his appointment, Fletcher emphasized that his focus is solely on Wednesday’s game against Burnley:

“Honestly, it’s not something I’ve thought about long-term. I’m focusing on Burnley. That discussion is for after the game.”

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United’s Interim Leadership and Caretaker Options

Manchester United has indicated Fletcher will remain in charge temporarily while the club searches for a permanent replacement for Amorim. Preliminary talks reportedly involved Fletcher, Michael Carrick, and former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, all of whom are former United players.

Fletcher confirmed that current discussions with club hierarchy have been limited to the upcoming match, with broader decisions deferred.

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Fletcher Hopes to Showcase Manchester United Identity

When asked about his style, Fletcher said he aims to reflect the club’s traditions:

“Hopefully, it looks like a Manchester United team that represents a bit of me, in terms of what I know is Manchester United. I hope it resembles a team that fans can be proud of, that I can be proud of.”

He highlighted the importance of key players returning from injury or international duty, including captain Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount, while joking about revealing whether his twin sons would make their full debuts.

Currently, Manchester United sit sixth in the Premier League, three points behind fourth-placed Liverpool, making the upcoming fixture crucial for their top-four ambitions.