Carrick Man Utd
Man Utd manager Michael Carrick.
We doubt many will agree with Michael Carrick’s assessment of Manchester United’s first-half display vs Roma.
Many assumed Carrick was done after the 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth at Old Trafford followed the 4-1 Champions League humiliation at the hands of Como.
But crisis talks between Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Jason Wilcox, Christopher Vivell and Omar Berrada granted him a ‘stay of execution’.
The blame for the 2-0 defeat to Chelsea could be laid almost entirely at the door of Lisandro Martinez, which meant no change of tack was necessary – they would wait for the international break to make a decision on his future.
The 3-2 comeback win over Roma has eased the tension at Manchester United and the pressure on Carrick.
But he looked doomed when his side went in 2-0 down at half-time after what was unanimously agreed to be another honking display from the Red Devils. Carrick says it “wasn’t so bad” though.
Carrick said at his press conference: “When you watch the [Roma] game back, in the first half it wasn’t so bad. There were moments in there that we left ourselves short really.
“They’re the moments we have got to clean up on. Little moments here and there that have changed games for us, which is football, something we have to manage – the first half against Chelsea was very good.
“I think we are showing signs of improvement in that respect. We have got to take that moving forward.”
Legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson got off to a slow start at Old Trafford, but Carrick is keen to “live in the present”.
He said: “The game has certainly changed, no doubt. It has evolved. It changes, and we have got to deal with what is in front of us.
“The comparison, I get and I understand. We have got to live in the present.. We’re all desperate to win football matches and win them as quickly as we can.”
“It is up to us to take it forward. It was a fantastic night [against Roma].
“It was a one-off night. We scored some goals from nowhere. I thought we played really well and deserved to win the game.
“Nothing is done yet. Nothing is achieved yet. It is one moment in time that we need to use to move forward. We need more of it, for sure.”
Ferguson joined Man Utd 40 years ago this week and Carrick says he’s “closer” to his former manager now than when he played under him.
“It’s something definitely worth celebrating as a football club, 40 years this week since he came here,” Carrick added.
“The impact and anything that he did was kind of driven from him moving forward. I am probably closer to him, and speak more to him now, than I did when I was playing.
“The relationship changes over time and that is only natural. Ever since he came here, the impact he had on me as an individual was immense.”
Carrick Man Utd
Carrick Man Utd