Man Utd play Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday, but Mo Salah has been ruled out of the game.
Mo Salah won't play against United this weekend.(Image: 2026 Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA)
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Michael Carrick refused to be drawn into admitting to being "glad" that Manchester United won't face Mo Salah this weekend. Salah is unavailable for Liverpool's visit to Old Trafford on Sunday due to a hamstring injury.
Salah will leave Anfield at the end of the season, which means he has played his final game for Liverpool against United. The Egyptian has played 18 games against United during his time in Merseyside, scoring 16 goals and registering six assists..
On Friday, Carrick was asked at his pre-match press conference whether it was a boost to United for Salah to have been ruled out of the game at Old Trafford. "I fully respect what he's achieved," was the United manager's response.
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"It's been tough for us at times to watch it and obviously to be against us, but a lot of respect for what he has done for Liverpool, for the league and the level of performance that he's produced for so long. So everything does come to an end at some stage. He's obviously not involved in the game, but we wish him all the best for whatever's next."
Carrick was pressed on whether he was glad not to be facing Salah on Sunday. "I'm certainly not going to say that because they've got some good players and they've got a very good squad and some good individuals," he said.
"So I won't be going out for them, but listen, he's been one of the best that has graced this great league for so long, so full credit to him for that."
Salah is out with a hamstring injury.(Image: 2024 Getty Images)
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United could do the Premier League double over Liverpool for the first time in 10 years. Carrick was in the away section among United supporters when Louis van Gaal oversaw the last achievement.
"I'd have rather been on the pitch at that point, but I was injured," said Carrick. "But we took the opportunity to go, I think we've done it a number of times, to go into the away end and sample it and feel it, and be that connected to it to understand it.
"So, yeah, when Wayne (Rooney) scored, there was a bit of celebrating going on, and you kind of lose yourself for a moment or two. So yeah, really good memories of it. It's been a while, obviously, since we did that. Hopefully we can produce another good result on Sunday afternoon."
United can secure Champions League football for next season with a win against Liverpool, but Carrick has insisted that returning to Europe's elite competition should not be over-celebrated.
"I just think it's kind of the mindset, really, throughout," he said. "Sometimes that comes from me in terms of setting the agenda, setting the goals, setting the targets. But I think the boys are hungry enough and understand enough about this club and where we want to be, how we want it to look, that we're not going to get carried away with certain things, and it's a good step.
"It's huge progress in terms of being at this stage. What they went through as a group last season and to be now in the position of fighting for, and in the positioning towards the top of the league, it's a big jump and a big step, so they need to take a lot of credit for that as a playing group and a squad, but they certainly understand that it's another step and we want to keep trying to achieve more than that."