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Man United earned a 3-2 victory over Liverpool at Old Trafford.
Michael Carrick revealed that he envisaged Liverpool overloading the midfield in their loss to Manchester United.
The Reds fell to a 3-2 defeat at the hands of their fierce foes at Old Trafford - with United going six points clear in third spot in the Premier League table.
The home side raced into a two-goal advantage within 14 minutes, with Matheus Cunha opening the scoring before Benjamin Sesko doubling the advantage. While goals from Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo got Liverpool back into the showdown after the interval, Kobbie Mainoo’s 77th-minute strike ensured United achieved a double over the Anfield outfit for the first time in a decade.
Liverpool had severely depleted options, with Alexander Isak, Mo Salah and Hugo Ekitike all absent. And that is why Carrick expected Arne Slot to pack his engine room as United secured Champions League qualification.
Carrick said: “There was a lot today to be happy with and to be proud of. We thought players available-wise that they would try to overload the midfield and it would be a challenge for us to close the spaces in the middle of the pitch.
“We have some really dangerous, dangerous forwards but we’re asking them to do a lot of work without the ball as well and that’s part of being a good team. So the way we closed that space and made it difficult for them - they’ve got some fantastic players and they made it difficult for us - but I thought the way we stuck at that especially really pleased me a lot. I have to say, the way supporters got behind us after the two goals, it’s easy after that point to get frustrated or to go the other way a little bit, and I thought again spirit and togetherness shows when it’s a little bit of a challenging time.
“So to feel that we’ve built that and we’re in a position where we’ll all stick together has really pleased me a lot. It was just two mistakes; Amad and Senne [Lammens] have both been immense for us and offered so much within the group and the team to put us in this position. That building on to the end of the game and the way we stuck at it, bounced back, finished well, players coming off the bench and making a difference, I thought it’s probably that spirit and togetherness for everybody that satisfies me the most really."
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