Leeds United will face fierce Roses rivals Manchester United for the second time this Premier League season at Old Trafford on Monday night.
Red Devils boss Michael Carrick has delivered his Leeds United and Manchester United rivalry verdict with a team must and Old Trafford hope.
The Whites and Red Devils will lock horns for the second time this season in Monday night’s Premier League clash in Manchester, just three months on from the 1-1 draw at Elland Road.
Ruben Amorim was still in charge of Manchester United for January’s stalemate in West Yorkshire but the Roses derby proved his last game in charge, the Portuguese manager then sacked and replaced by Carrick as interim boss.
Carrick, though, has previous experience of the Roses derby as a Red Devils player and the 44-year-old is relishing rivalries being renewed, declaring that his team must “embrace” that rivalry in Monday’s 8pm kick-off.
The Red Devils boss also hopes the atmosphere created can give his team an extra ‘edge’.
“For a really good reason”
Speaking at Saturday’s pre-match press conference, Carrick was asked what he felt about the rivalry between the two clubs and said: “It's gone on for an awful long time.
“I think that's what rivalries are there for, for a really good reason, I think, to be part of.
“And the intensity, and the emotion, and the passion that goes into it.
“Obviously, it's got to keep within the margins, but I think that's part of the game we love, and going up against other teams, and essentially other areas, and battling it out on a pitch.
“So, I think it's something that we've got to embrace and, as I say, it's why we're involved for these type of games.
“And we're certainly aware of it, I'm certainly aware of it, the players are aware of it, of the extra that it means on top of the standard three points. So, yeah, we're looking forward to it. It's a big night for us.”
Asked what that edge could do for the stadium, the game and the atmosphere, Carrick declared: “Yeah, hopefully it cranks it up, and the stadium's alive.
“I'm sure it will be, it has been, it's been unbelievable playing at home and the boys have responded and thrived off it, really.
“And with the supporters giving that balance and coming with us and spurring us on when we've needed that. So, I expect it to be the same and with an extra little bit of edge with it being Leeds.”
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