Michael Carrick brushed off comparisons with Sir Alex Ferguson and claimed it was important to “live in the present” as he tries to revive Manchester United’s season.
On the 40th anniversary of Ferguson’s appointment, Carrick was reminded of the difficult start to the Scotsman’s time at Old Trafford before he went on to achieve extraordinary success by guiding United to 13 Premier League titles and two Champions League crowns.
Ferguson was on the brink of the sack in 1990 only for an FA Cup win at Nottingham Forest – courtesy of a goal from Mark Robins – to save him and from there the rest is history.
Carrick went into Tuesday night’s Champions League game with Rome in equal peril and stood on the precipice with his team 2-0 down at half-time. However, a second-half comeback that resulted in a 3-2 win has changed the mood ahead of Sunday’s clash with Aston Villa.
Asked about Ferguson today, Carrick said: “More comparisons. You always find something to compare! It is up to us to take it forward. It was a fantastic night [against Roma].
“It was a one-off night. We scored some goals from nowhere. I thought we played really well and deserved to win the game. Nothing is done yet. Nothing is achieved yet. It is one moment in time that we need to use to move forward. We need more of it, for sure.”
Football has changed, says Carrick, when asked about United’s patience with Fergie
Carrick is not convinced he would get the same time today that Ferguson got in 1990.
He added: ”The game has certainly changed, no doubt. It has evolved. It changes, and we have got to deal with what is in front of us. The comparison, I get and I understand. We have got to live in the present. We’re all desperate to win football matches and win them as quickly as we can.”
United are mired in their worst start to a league season since 1986/87, a run that ironically resulted in the dismissal of Ron Atkinson and Ferguson being appointed.
Carrick is confident, though, that his team, who sit one place outside the relegation zone. are moving in the right direction.
“When you watch the [Roma] game back, in the first half it wasn’t so bad. There were moments in there that we left ourselves short really,” he said.
“They’re the moments we have got to clean up on. Little moments here and there that have changed games for us, which is football, something we have to manage – the first half against Chelsea was very good.
“I think we are showing signs of improvement in that respect. We have got to take that moving forward.”
United midfielder Baleba out for several weeks
There was mixed news on the injury front with summer signing Carlos Baleba expected to miss several weeks but left-back Patrick Dorgu close to a return.
Carrick said of the Cameroon midfielder: “Carlos, we don’t know exactly, but it will be a number of weeks. It won’t be any time over the international break. It will be a bit longer than that.
“Patrick has done a little bit of training this week. Very, very small. We have got to be patient with Pat.
“He has had a good period of time now, a couple of hamstrings that we have to manage and be patient with that over the next couple of weeks.
“He is slowly getting back with us, so we will have to see if he can be involved with us at the weekend or not.”
United’s game with Villa kicks off at 4.30pm on Sunday afternoon.
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