Michael Carrick summary of last Monday shock home defeat by Leeds, as he dey assess Manchester United return to form with their 1-0 win at Chelsea, na typical of the man. Never too high for victory, never too low for defeat. He be like that as player and nothing don change now he dey inside dug-out at time when questions don start dey ask about him and him team.
The complaint na say since Carrick initial introduction, and specifically the draw at West Ham on 10 February, performances don dey average. Results don dey decent though, better than any other person over comparable period. E take first home defeat to Leeds since 1981 for the real moans to start. The calmness wey dem previously see as asset don turn negative. Inaction dem see am as conservative. All week the question don dey ask, Carrick fit do the job?
Well, nothing aesthetically pleasing about this latest triumph. But given say only Ole Gunnar Solskjaer of all the post-Sir Alex Ferguson bosses don experience the feeling of winning at Stamford Bridge, style na secondary element. Chelsea fit don hit woodwork three times. Dem fit don carry more consistent threat. But Carrick team na the one wey deliver. “Na game for result,” he talk. “And we manage to find am.”
More to am though. Na overcoming adversity of knowing say on top of the three central defenders he know go miss (Matthijs de Ligt through injury and Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire due to suspension), Carrick then lose fourth one, Leny Yoro, to training ground injury. That one come so late for week him chosen pairing, Noussair Mazraoui and Ayden Heaven, only fit prepare with walk-throughs.
“I love when you see players thrive for those moments,” Carrick talk. Heaven, 19, never start game under Carrick, as Ruben Amorim first give him chance and then him immediate replacement Darren Fletcher. “Ayden never play plenty football recently, and to come inside that environment na not something wey you fit take for granted,” Carrick talk. “We dey talk same things to young players all the time. Sometimes dem dey look you as if to say, ‘yeah, good one’ but for training every day and looking after yourself and being ready ‘because you never know when that chance come’, he probably no for think say e go come for that moment. But he dey there, he prepare, and he take am for him stride magnificently well.”
If Heaven feel any pressure, he no show am. Same thing dey true for Carrick, although e help to get person like Bruno Fernandes for him team. Fernandes now get 18 Premier League assists for him name this season, just two short of all-time record. Carrick don talk to him skipper by touchline not long before crucial cut-back Fernandes deliver for Matheus Cunha to apply first-time finish and win game.
“I no fit take any credit for that,” Carrick laugh. “I no even sure say I fit remember exactly wetin I talk to am, but I definitely no fit take credit for goal.”
So, Carrick side dey move on. Eight points from five games na maximum requirement now for return to Champions League after two-season absence. E go probably take less given Liverpool still get to play Everton and Chelsea, in addition to their own trip to Old Trafford on 3 May.
For some point, clarity go come over Carrick position. E feel like he don come through big moment with plenty pressure, even if he no really view this week same way. “We dey fine, you know? Monday. We learn from things, and talk about few things, but na football. League na wetin e be. Results dey all over the place. We no dey get too down about that at all. If anything, we look am and think, ‘we dey right near top, if not top of last 12 games’. We take plenty confidence from that. We know wetin this game be. We no overplay am. We no talk. No be about positions or points or anything. Na just to come down here win game and commit to that. The boys definitely do am.”
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