Darren Fletcher has described his appointment as interim manager of Manchester United as "surreal" following the sacking of Ruben Amorim. The former Manchester United midfielder has been placed in charge after Amorim's departure, marking a significant moment in his coaching career.

The announcement came swiftly after Amorim's dismissal on Monday morning, less than 24 hours after the Red Devils drew 1-1 with Leeds. Manchester United opted to sack Amorim after disagreements over the team's tactical approach. Fletcher, who has been managing the U18s, will step up to take charge of the side as they travel to relegation-threatened Burnley on Wednesday night. It is expected Fletcher will be in charge for the Burnley game as well as the FA Cup clash against Brighton on Sunday.

Fletcher's immediate focus is on organizing a coaching team for the week ahead before fully engaging with media duties. He addressed the media at 5 pm, with quotes embargoed until 5.30 pm.

Interestingly, Fletcher himself had previously expressed reservations about appointing interim managers, stating in 2019 that "United shouldn't really be appointing an interim manager". Despite this, he is now stepping into that very role, highlighting the unexpected turn of events. Fletcher voiced these opinions in 2019 while playing for Stoke City. He acknowledged at the time that Solskjaer was capable of delivering some "cutting words" in the dressing room and would "let people know when they weren't doing things that were expected of them" - but he remained opposed to the interim decision.

The length of Fletcher's stint remains uncertain, with speculation about whether he will remain in charge until the end of the season or if the club will seek another interim appointment. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's name has even been floated as a potential caretaker manager, given his past success in the role.

Fletcher served as an assistant to ex-United boss Erik ten Hag before being appointed as head coach of the club's under-18s side in July. Sir Alex Ferguson predicted years before Fletcher retired from playing that he would become a manager. Ferguson's long-term view of Fletcher was that he could become a coach. Ferguson will be watching proudly as Fletcher leads United for the first time.

The decision regarding the next permanent manager rests with figures like Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox. The club is seeking a long-term strategy to avoid further seasons of rebuilding.