Fletcher's Manchester United debut with Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount returning! He revealed that Sir Alex Ferguson agreed to him taking over and he's not afraid of criticism from club legends.

On Tuesday, Darren Fletcher attended the Premier League pre-match press conference as Manchester United's interim manager for the first and possibly last time. He announced that captain Bruno Fernandes and midfielder Mason Mount will both be returning, though they might not be able to play the full 90 minutes.

Fletcher stated, "Mason and Bruno initially wanted to participate in the Leeds match, but the medical staff concluded they hadn't fully recovered. Now they have resumed full training and should be able to rejoin the squad. Since they just returned to training, their playing time will be managed carefully. Nevertheless, this is undoubtedly good news, especially considering their previous form was very strong. Mason is in excellent shape, and as for Bruno… no need to say more, he is the team's captain and leader. Their return is great news for me, the players, the club, and the fans."

Fletcher revealed that before agreeing to take the interim coaching role, he sought approval from his mentor Sir Alex Ferguson. After speaking with the 84-year-old Ferguson, Fletcher accepted the position. Ferguson watched Amolin's last game in charge at Elland Road, where Manchester United drew 1-1 with Leeds United.

“I don’t like making major decisions without consulting Sir Alex first,” Fletcher said. “I have a very good relationship with him, so I wanted to talk to him first. Honestly, the goal was to get his blessing because I believe he deserves that respect. I shared my thoughts with him, and he agreed. As a member of the club, giving your all for Manchester United is your duty. That’s a principle I live by every day, so having his support means a lot to me.”

Describing the sudden experience of becoming Manchester United's manager, Fletcher said, “It feels surreal. Leading Manchester United is a huge honor, something I never dreamed would happen. Just stepping onto the field as the manager is a massive privilege, and I’m extremely proud. But the circumstances are not what I expected, which is a bit hard to accept. However, I must focus on my job; tomorrow I have to lead the team and remember the great honor and pride this role carries.”

Regarding his coaching staff, Fletcher explained, “Travis Binnion is the U21 head coach. My coaching career started in Manchester United’s academy, so we’ve known each other for five years. He is my ideal partner; we have a close relationship and a long history of collaboration. I respect him greatly and have learned a lot from him. His assistants, Alan Wright and Jonny Evans, recently joined the club and will be part of my team. Evans obviously has deep ties with the club, having been a Manchester United player not long ago. He understands the players, is familiar with the environment, and is a known figure for the team. These three will assist me in my work.”

Fletcher has not had a chance to communicate with Amolin, who last month arranged for Fletcher’s son Jack to make his Manchester United debut. Fletcher’s other son, Tyler, has been on the bench for the last three matches. “I tried to contact Ruben (Amolin) but couldn’t reach him. That’s understandable; he clearly has a lot on his plate, and I’m busy too. I’d be happy to talk with him; we have a good relationship, and he’s been very kind to me. But right now, the most important thing is for everyone to move forward quickly. Football is a ruthless game, so we must lift our spirits and energy and hope for a better performance tomorrow.”

Before being dismissed, Amolin criticized Manchester United for placing too much emphasis on commentators’ opinions, especially from legend Gary Neville. Fletcher has been teammates and is now friends with them both. However, he doesn’t mind criticism because he understands it’s part of what Manchester United must face.

As a player, Manchester United captain Roy Keane looked out for Fletcher, but that didn’t stop the Irish midfield legend from challenging, testing, and criticizing him during training and matches. After the team’s shocking loss to Middlesbrough, Keane publicly berated teammates and was subsequently removed by Sir Alex Ferguson. Among those Keane said didn’t deserve to play for United was Fletcher.

Fletcher holds no grudge over this. He later scored a header against Chelsea that ended Mourinho’s unbeaten run. He believes this is the right way to handle criticism. “You can’t expect them to go easy on Manchester United because they’re passionate people with the right to express their opinions, and they’re very knowledgeable!” Fletcher said. “Their words are influential, and listening to their views is meaningful. I enjoy hearing their advice; over the years, I’ve often listened to them talk in the dressing room, and I make sure to pay close attention.”

Fletcher added, “Dealing with outside noise is tough because those legends have won every honor. They have success as their capital; they’ve all earned trophies. It’s hard to criticize them because their medals are right there on the table. But that’s what it means to be a Manchester United player—you have to accept reality, learn how to cope, and embrace the challenge willingly.”

The interim manager also revealed that due to lack of free time, he hasn’t yet had the chance to speak individually with all players. He has only talked with captain Bruno Fernandes and a few newly signed first-team players, including Cunha and Sheshko. Last week, he spoke with goalkeeper Sena Lamens when Amolin was still in charge.

An interesting topic in Fletcher’s first two matches as manager is whether his twin sons, Jack and Tyler Fletcher, will play. With Bruno and Mount returning, this might reduce opportunities for the 18-year-old Fletcher brothers. The 41-year-old “senior” Fletcher said, “I’m not spilling any secrets before the game! They trained on Monday, which was arranged before I took over. They’ve been in the first-team squad recently, but with many players returning from injury, we’ll assess their situation tomorrow. Also, with a tight schedule, we need to analyze players’ fitness. They currently belong to the reserves, and whether they make tomorrow’s squad is still uncertain and remains to be seen.”

The interim Manchester United manager emphasized that he will never show favoritism. Previously, when his sons played for the U18s, he declined to coach the youth team to avoid any conflict of interest. “I want the team to represent my own style of Manchester United. I understand the club, so I want to build a team that fans can be proud of. I want to feel proud of it myself, and I believe that will happen because I trust the players. We have excellent players full of fighting spirit, and I think the team has high quality. I want to provide them a platform to get on the pitch and showcase themselves. This is for them, not me. It’s their season, their careers, their opportunity, and I am here to help them. Ultimately, it’s they who cross the white line, step onto the pitch, and create magic. We will give them responsibility and let them complete the task.”

Fletcher concluded, “For me, the most important task is to beat Burnley. I’ve held various roles at the club before, mainly involved with the U21 and U18 squads, but I’ve always focused on giving my all for Manchester United—helping the club, the team, my colleagues, players, and staff to achieve success. Everyone expects Manchester United to stay at the top and win matches; that’s the standard and the goal we all must strive for. This is the club’s set standard for everyone, and I will do my best in any role I take to help the team reach that objective.”