Manchester United manager Michael Carrick was extremely pleased with his players’ character and response in the 3–2 Champions League victory over Roma. The manager admitted that at half-time he reminded the players how quickly the situation can change at “Old Trafford”, but warned that the true value of the success would become clear based on the team’s performances in the matches to come.
“It was a good evening. First of all, I have to give credit to the players, who showed character and quality at a time when we needed it most. Incredible, magical things happen at this stadium, and we spoke about them at half-time. We gradually grew into the game in the first half, although we conceded goals that were far too easy. At half-time, we reminded ourselves how quickly everything can change here – sometimes all it takes is one moment. The boys took advantage of every small opportunity and were fantastic at the end,” Carrick said.
The Englishman revealed that his main aim in the dressing room had been to calm the players and help them overcome their accumulated frustration. In his view, United had shown good things before the break as well, but the players had been unable to appreciate them because of the tension created by the course of the match.
“I told them not to get too discouraged. I had the feeling that we were gradually finding our way into the game and getting into the opposition’s penalty area. The players didn’t feel it in the same way because they had built up too much irritation and frustration. I knew we were also doing good things against a very strong team. When the opposition play so aggressively man-to-man, it’s normal to have both successful and unsuccessful actions. The most important thing is to maintain a positive mindset. The boys responded excellently in the second half,” the manager explained.
Carrick, however, did not want to describe the victory as a turning point in the season, as he believes that will depend on the results in the upcoming matches. He also highlighted the performance of Youri Tielemans, who came on after Carlos Baleba was forced to leave the field.
“This is just one match, and its significance will depend on what follows. We have to use the positive energy from this victory. The boys showed a lot after the break. Unfortunately, Carlos Baleba had to leave the pitch, but Youri Tielemans came on and was fantastic. He showed his character and how important his experience is when you have to come into a match like this. You could feel the positive energy, and it was great to see the stadium in such an atmosphere again,” the manager commented.
Special attention was also given to young Shea Lacey, who provided the assist for Matheus Cunha’s winning goal. Carrick made no secret of his admiration for the young player’s talent and attitude towards the game.
“I’m very happy for Shea. I like him enormously – he is incredibly talented and has a tremendous desire to do well. He delivered a wonderful pass to Matheus, who controlled the ball with his far foot. In the second half, we moved Cunha further inside, while Bryan Mbeumo played wider on the left to achieve better balance. Shea is very well liked and respected by his teammates. Towards the end, he even got involved defensively as a right-back. That shows how much he is willing to give for the team,” Carrick said.
In conclusion, the manager stressed that the success was particularly significant for Manchester United’s supporters, who are going through a difficult period. He expressed his satisfaction at the opportunity for the team to once again give the fans an evening filled with emotion and positive experiences.
“This is a victory for the entire football club. We want the supporters to leave happy, to give them performances and evenings like this, so they come back again with even more energy. As a team, we showed character to get through everything that happened to us. It is in moments like these that you learn a lot about the people around you. The players learn things about me, and I understand more about them, their character and how ready they are to give everything. Now we have to get the maximum out of this evening and move forward. We will find out what the victory will mean in the bigger picture from the results that follow, but tonight I definitely feel much better,” Carrick concluded.