We're back to our best
Monday, April 2, 2007
Michael Carrick insists United have rediscovered top form at the perfect time, just as the Premiership season reaches its final stages.
The England midfielder bagged the all-important second goal as United came from behind to beat Blackburn at Old Trafford and maintain their six-point lead in the title race.
"We're playing some great stuff," he told MUTV. "We're back to top form after a few weeks where we weren't so good. We've kept on winning, which is the key.
"Whether we've played well or badly in the next few games, as long as we're winning we'll get the job done."
Matt Derbyshire's opener for Rovers meant United trailed at half-time, but a rip-roaring display after the interval yielded goals from Carrick, Paul Scholes, Ji-sung Park and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Carrick played an unfortunate part in Rovers' opener as he inadvertantly forced Edwin van der Sar into a fine save, but Derbyshire converted the rebound from close range.
"Their goal was a bit scrappy from our point of view," he admitted. "I was at full stretch, I had to go for the ball and it's just come off Edwin and suddenly you're 1-0 down.
"You think 'here we go', but we stuck at it and in the second half we played some great stuff. Obviously we thoroughly deserved to win the game but it was nice to score a few goals as well."
The summer signing from Tottenham was happy with the Reds' patience and faith that their fine play would eventually reap tangible dividends.
"We were playing so well, and when you're playing like that you don't want opportunities to slip by. So we were really determined to get three points and I think that showed the way we played second half.
We didn't get frustrated and start lumping it, we kept passing it, creating chances and thankfully they went in."
Carrick viewed Scholes' 60th-minute equaliser as the game's turning point, and explained the celebrations which greeted his goal as sheer relief that victory was in sight.
"Once you get one it gives you a massive lift," he said. "We came out second half and went right at them. You just hope for that first one to come sooner rather than later. Scholesy's bit of brilliance put us well on our way and then after that it was a matter of how many we could score.
"There was a lot of relief, to be fair. The longer it goes, the more impatient you become and once we got that we knew we were on our way to victory then. You've seen the lads celebrating, we went a bit mad! But after that we were comfortable."
Posted by gjoe 8:15 PM