Carrick confident of Champions League despite Leeds setback
Carrick confident of Champions League despite Leeds setback Michael Carrick has said he retains confidence in Manchester United despite the club’s 2-1 defeat to Leeds at Old Trafford. United’s hopes of Champions League football were dented after a shock setback at home to relegation-threatened Leeds. Noah Okofor’s first-half brace put Leeds in control of the contest, before United were reduced to 10 men on 56 minutes.
Lisandro Martinez was dismissed for violent conduct after making contact with Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair. It was a decision Carrick called ‘one of the worst I’ve ever seen’. Casemiro pulled one back for the Red Devils but the 10 men were unable to find an equaliser.
The result leaves Carrick’s side third, ahead of fourth-placed Aston Villa on goal difference. Despite the disappointment, Carrick said he has seen enough from the side in recent weeks to remain confident about the run-in. “I have to say, whatever happened tonight, it’s not going to suddenly change my opinion on what we are as a team,” Carrick said at his post-match press conference.
“We’ve built enough of a foundation to kind of understand what we’re good at and what we need to improve on. “Moving forward at the end of the season, the games are going to be the games and it’s a big end of the season. There’s no getting away from it.
“The kind of mentality and the character of the boys wanting to do well and trying to give everything, I’ve never doubted that, and I won’t doubt that. “I think, from what I’ve seen every day and in the games, it’s there. We can certainly improve at certain things so I’m not saying that but the boys are desperate to do well and desperate to improve.