Michael Carrick scraps Ruben Amorim rule - and Man Utd duo take instant advantage

 Michael Carrick has implemented changes at Manchester United right away and not just on the playing field and training ground. The new interim manager has also given players more freedom when it comes to how they use their free time, with Bruno Fernandes and Senne Lammens among the first to capitalise.

Carrick has held the position of interim manager for just over a month following Ruben Amorim's January exit. He secured four victories from his first four games but couldn't make it five when United faced another of his old clubs in the form of West Ham.

Behind the scenes, the former midfielder has been more lenient regarding player holidays. Amorim prohibited such breaks, even during periods when United had no fixtures, but the approach has shifted under Carrick.

An early exit from the FA Cup - with elimination coming under caretaker Darren Fletcher - means United are in the middle of a 13-day hiatus between games. They don't return to action until February 23, when they face Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

With nearly a fortnight free and permission granted to taking a break, Fernandes and Lammens have both travelled abroad. More specifically, they've paid visits to some familiar faces during their current employers' downtime.

Lammens returned to Royal Antwerp over the weekend, with the Belgian side posting an image of the goalkeeper at their home ground. Lammens starred as Antwerp's first-choice keeper last season, helping them secure a fifth-place finish before completing his £18.2million switch to United.

Unfortunately for the 23-year-old, he was unable to inspire his old employers to victory. Antwerp succumbed to a 2-0 defeat against Westerlo to stay 11th in the standings after 25 matches as their hopes of European qualification diminished further.

Over in Portugal, United skipper Bruno Fernandes was amongst the spectators to observe Pacos de Ferreira versus Torreense. The encounter was relatively unremarkable, with strugglers Pacos securing a 0-0 stalemate as they look to avoid a second relegation in just four years.

According to reports in Portugal, Fernandes was there for a reunion with Pacos midfielder Francisco Ramos. The duo were colleagues for Portugal's Under-21 squad before their respective careers diverged, with Ramos returning to his homeland over the summer following a stint in Poland.