Nicky Butt insists Manchester United will not rush the process of finding a new coach for the club's Under-23 side following the departure of Warren Joyce last year.

Joyce left his role at United to take over at Wigan Athletic in November after eight hugely successful years overseeing the club's second string, where he was credited with aiding the development of a number of home-grown youngsters who went on to break into the first team.

Butt is head of academy at the club, overseeing all facets of youth football, but has moved back into the dugout to replace Joyce until a replacement is found.

The Class of '92 graduate has enjoyed his brief return to the touchline with his young charges securing a 1-0 victory over arch-rivals Liverpool in their Premier League 2 clash on Monday (16 January) with Matt Willock scoring a last-minute winner.

The club are taking careful steps to ensure they appoint the right man to take over a promising young United side, but hope to make an announcement soon.

"It's something we're looking at and something we've got to get right. It's a very important age group to manage and look after," Butt told United's official website. "It's the last step into the first team or into different clubs to try to make a career.

"It's important and we're going through the process of having interviews. Hopefully, pretty soon, we'll have someone in mind who comes along. We don't want to make it a rush job and get the wrong person in."

Warren Joyce
Joyce will return to Old Trafford as Wigan boss at the end of the month Getty

Joyce meanwhile will return to Old Trafford at the end of January after his Wigan side were drawn against his old club in the fourth-round of the FA Cup.

Ravel Morrison, formerly a hugely promising member of the United academy, will also hope to be involved in that fixture. The 23-year-old is currently training with the Latics in the hope of earning a loan move away from Lazio, where the attacking midfielder has been told he has no future.