It is 40 years since Sir Alex Ferguson took over as Man Utd manager and Michael Carrick insists the success he brought to the club can be repeated.

On the 40th anniversary of Sir Alex Ferguson's arrival as Manchester United's knight in shining armour, Michael Carrick insists that repeating the unprecedented success of the Fergie era at Old Trafford remains a realistic ambition.

The Scot won 38 trophies in his 26 years at Old Trafford, including 13 Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues, but his exit in 2013 has led to a spiral and United haven't come close to challenging for either of those honours since.

The anniversary of Ferguson's arrival comes at a time when United again find themselves in crisis. He was parachuted in from Aberdeen to take over a club sitting outside the relegation zone only on goal difference, the exact same position they find themselves in now.

Living up to those standards has proved a daunting task over the last 13 years, but Carrick doesn't believe that means that kind of success can't even return to the club he holds so dear.

"It's not impossible," he said. "Anything's possible. You've got to build, you've got to be realistic. You've got to put things in perspective as well. The recent history that we've had and what we're trying to get to, 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. There are no shortcuts to it. In the end, that's where you get to, but it's definitely possible."

Carrick eased some of the pressure on his own shoulders with a dramatic Champions League victory in midweek and the end of a nine-game winless streak, allowing United to toast Ferguson's anniversary without the scrutiny the club has recently faced.

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"It's something definitely worth celebrating as a football club," said Carrick. "I'm probably closer to him now and speak more to him now than I did when I was playing.

"I think relationships change over time and that's only natural. Ever since I came here, the impact he had on me as an individual was immense. Not necessarily directly, as in talking all the time and giving advice all the time. Personally, it was more about the influence he had and the habits you try to pick up from him.

"Then you move on and evolve a little bit into a friendship, really, which is really nice. It's just the impact that he's had and will continue to have on this football club."

Ferguson's job was famously saved by a Mark Robins winner in an FA Cup third-round tie at Nottingham Forest in January 1990, easing the pressure at a point when it appeared it was inevitable he would be sacked.

Carrick laughed off comparisons with his own Houdini act against Roma and insisted his side now had to build on the comeback.

"It's up to us to take it forward," he said. "As a one-off night, it was a fantastic night. I thought we played really, really well and deserved the game. It was nice to end like that. It was nice for the supporters to end like that and to have that feeling.

"Nothing's done yet. Nothing's achieved yet, and it's one moment in time that we need to use to move forward. But we need more of it, for sure."