Carrick Thrilled as Manchester United Return to Premier League Top Three
MANCHESTER United interim boss, Michael Carrick, allowed himself a brief smile on Sunday as thousands of Old Trafford fans chanted his name while he walked along the touchline.
United had come from behind to secure a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace, extending their unbeaten run under Carrick to seven matches and returning the club to the Premier League’s top three for the first time since May 2023.
“Yeah, it’s nice obviously,” Carrick said. “This place means a lot to me, so to have so much positivity and everyone enjoying coming to the games… and me to obviously have an influence on that… it feels good.”
The 44-year-old, who spent over a decade in United’s midfield from 2006 to 2018, has overseen six wins and a draw since his appointment following Ruben Amorim’s sacking on January 5. Despite the plaudits, Carrick was quick to deflect the spotlight onto his players.
“I think the players have got to take a lot of credit for what they’ve put on the pitch,” he said. “That connection with the supporters is huge… for them to stay with us even after a bit of a slow start, and finish the game like that, it means a lot.”
Sunday’s winner came from Benjamin Sesko, who rose to head home a pinpoint free kick from Bruno Fernandes, who had earlier converted a penalty for United. The 22-year-old Sesko has now scored seven goals in eight matches across all competitions, including three in his last three games, mirroring Carrick’s positive impact.
“Absolutely delighted for Ben,” Carrick said. “He’s had a huge impact and is making big improvements. Some of it is just getting used to what it’s like to be here, the feelings, what it means to play… things we can take for granted.”
Carrick praised Sesko’s work ethic as central to his emergence and cautioned that, despite his current form, the striker’s development was still at an early stage.
“It’s still early days for him, he’s so young,” Carrick said. “But he’s doing fantastic at the moment, and I’m really excited about where he can get to.”
-Reuters
Join our WhatsApp Channel now! GHANAIANTIMES OFFICIAL WHATSAPP CHANNEL
GHANAIANTIMES OFFICIAL WHATSAPP CHANNEL
