I guess Michael Carrick couldn't say it was impossible to replicate the success his old boss Sir Alex Ferguson had at Manchester United.

Equally, it was pointless to ask for more time in the job before Sunday's Premier League game against Aston Villa.

Yet it is a basic reality that constructing something that will last is not an overnight job.

Manchester United's current first-team squad includes players bought by six managers, all with different styles. Moulding that together is not easy, still less deciding who should stay, who should go and who should come in.

It took Ferguson three and a half years to win a trophy and six and a half to win a league title. After two games, the Scot was in charge of a team occupying a relegation place, which is where Carrick's squad might be come kick-off on Sunday.

One of Carrick's strengths is his calm demeanour and detached assessment, which is why he answered the question about emulating Ferguson the way he did.

"It's not impossible," he said. "Anything's possible.

"You've got to build, you know? And you've got to be realistic and put things in perspective as well, with the recent history we've had and where we want to get to.

"But it's not going to happen in a blink of an eye. It's not going to happen overnight. Success does take time, and we don't like having to spend time, but it does take a period of time to build."

The big question is: will he get it?