Manchester United’s trip to Como brought a defiant Carrick press conference. Michael Carrick shrugged off questions about board backing, praised his former playing rival Cesc Fabregas and gave a team news update hit by illness and injuries. United face Fabregas and his Como side on Wednesday, in the Lariani’s first-ever taste of European football.
Here is everything Carrick, and summer signing Andrey Santos, said.
Team news: illness and injuries hit United
Where is the squad at?
“Right. Bit of a mixed bag, to be honest. We’ve got quite a few missing. Licha’s not too bad, but he’s not with us. So, we’ll have to see whether he’s ready for the weekend or not. Kobbie, we’re probably looking at another maybe ten days or so, but not exact. Luke a little bit longer than that. So, yeah, a little bit of injury and a bit of illness in the camp spreading through us. So, we’ll make the best of it for sure.”
What about Ayden and Marcus?
“Ayden’s ill and Marcus is still feeling a little bit of a hip issue that we’re trying to overcome. So, hopefully that’ll be soon as well.”
Is Matthijs de Ligt ready to start?
“It’s great to have him back, you know, he’s had such a long journey of, maybe eleven months or so of being out and he’s been patient, worked hard. So we’re delighted to have him back. He’s fit, he’s ready. He’s been training for a number of weeks now, so he’s in a really good place.”
A fresh start in Como
How do you capitalise on the weekend and turn results around?
“We have to, yeah, for sure. I do feel the boys are in a good place, and I think we took that into the game, and it was a tough game, and they put an awful lot into the game, you know? And so we’re massively looking forward to it tomorrow night. It’s a different game, different night, different country, but we’ve got to take that, bring that same intensity that we had on Sunday because there was a lot of good things on Sunday.”
Why are things closer this season than last?
“It can be small things, you know. It can be small things. The games and the results I’d say it’s about fine lines, but that ultimately is football. So, it’s as close as you can be, unless you don’t get them fine lines in your favour then you’re further away.
So, I think we were good at certain things of flipping them in our favour last year, and this time there’s been things that’s gone against us. Some of it we can do better with and we can help, but I don’t think there’s a major problem at all. I think we know what we need to get better at as a group, and we’re working on that. And I fully believe that we can put that run together and we can get back to winning ways and, the group, the team, the squad are definitely capable of that.”
Left-back crisis and Harry Amass
Would you consider starting Harry Amass?
“For sure. I mean, that’s why Harry’s with us, you know? He’s right in contention and, at some point, young players need an opportunity, and it’s just finding the right time. Sometimes it’s because there’s an unfortunate thing happened to somebody else, sometimes it’s just you’re doing that well that we have to give you a chance. But all the young players are in a similar boat, in a similar level.
There’s maybe four, five, six of them that are trying to make that next step really in terms of getting into the team and trying to start games, and Harry’s definitely one of them.”
Do you regret not signing a left-back in the summer?
“Listen, I think you can always, when we’ve got injuries at different stages, we can always look at what could have been done, maybe what we could have improved. I think I spoke to you about making the best of the transfer window and the situation that we had, and this man next to us [Andrey Santos] was a big part of that.
I’m delighted to have him, and we had to make decisions in the summer, and we did what we could do, and we made the best of it. There’s been injuries, you know, obviously Pat [Chinazaekpere Dorgu] as well getting injured and, it tends to happen at certain times when it hits you in the same place. That’s just the way it goes sometimes.”
Andrey Santos speaks
Has Lisandro explained his comments to the squad?
Santos: “We know the comments about Licha, but I think now it’s done, so we have to move on and focus on tomorrow.”
Did he address the group to get everyone on the same page?
Santos: “No, nothing happened because, you know, we are on the same page. We always have the intention and confidence; we believe in ourselves, in our team-mates, in our coach and in our staff. I think this is the most important thing.”
Was it frustrating to be out of the team after playing at Hull?
Santos: “No, of course, you always learn. So, I know I play against Hull and then I come out and then I come on again. But like the coach always says for us, every single player from squad, you have to be ready and to prepare yourself because your opportunity is coming, and you have to be ready to try to do your best.”
Why Manchester United?
Santos: “So, I think it’s so easy to ask this question because, you know, Manchester United is the biggest in the world, so it’s easy to choose Manchester United. So, I’m so happy because I’m here. I’m so happy with the staff, my teammates, so I enjoy a lot every day, this moment in my life.”
Carrick on Šeško update
Is there an update on Benjamin Šeško?
“Well, hopefully soon we’ll have a clear picture. I’m not trying to delay it. Hopefully, next time we speak – maybe not tomorrow, but by the end of the week – we’ll have something a little bit clearer. There is a bit of work going on at the moment, so we’ll see what comes out of that.”
Defending and clean sheets
Why has it been a struggle to keep clean sheets?
“You’re dead right. I can’t argue with that, you know? As a team in general, I thought the other day we defended pretty well and didn’t give much away. We know they were a good set-play team and in the end that made a difference for them. So, there’s definitely parts of our game that we have to improve to make things easier. I’m fully aware of that.”
Carrick on Fabregas and Como
What is your opinion of Fabregas as a coach?
“I have a huge amount of respect for what Cesc’s done here, I think. And as a football club, you know, the story, how quickly it’s risen to the heights now and doing so well in the league last season. And, as a coach, the way the team’s playing, I think it’s quite clear that he’s got some really good ideas and he’s created a really good team.
So yeah, huge amount of respect, just because he was a fantastic player. He’s one of the best I’ve played against, but that doesn’t necessarily just mean that you’re going to turn that into being a good coach, but he’s certainly doing that right now.”
Are you worried about Nico Paz?
“No, listen, they’re a very good team and he’s a very good player, you know. He’s a very good player and had a very good start to the season. So, yeah, what can I say? Without going through individuals, I just think they’re a very good team and play some very good football, and if you open certain spaces, they can be very dangerous. Our concentration and our focus has to be 100 per cent tomorrow, which I’m sure it will, and it’ll be a good game.”
Any concern about the heavy rain?
“No, nothing from anything immediate from me. No, like you say, we’re kinda used to the rain, so we’ll make the most of it.”
Toxic culture and Erik ten Hag’s comments
Have you experienced a toxic culture at United?
“No, I haven’t. Since I came back the players, the staff, they’ve given us everything that they could give. Yeah, we’ve had some good performances. We’ve had some performances that we want to do better, that we can improve on. We’ve made some mistakes. That’s football and that’s pushing performance. But, I have to say, and I’ll kind of repeat what I said the other day, you know, if you haven’t got a good group, the type of performance.
I’m not talking about the level – but the type of performance that the boys put into the weekend and, showed in Atletico for large parts, I think, and what the feeling that we have, there’s a lot of togetherness there. There’s a lot of will, there’s a lot of determination to do better and want to do it for each other, which is important. So, in that regard as the group, I couldn’t be happier with the togetherness, for sure.”
Does Ten Hag’s criticism of the hierarchy raise red flags?
“Not for me. I think that’s Erik’s opinion, you know. I don’t really know the details or ins and outs of that, really. It’s totally wrong of me to comment and get involved because it was nothing to do with me at that stage. Yeah, I keep saying it: as a football club, the way we’re working in behind the scenes and away from it, a lot of the story, and the main story, and as it should be, you know, results dictate a lot of the feeling and a lot of the energy and the positivity or not so positive [feeling] around the place.
So, a lot of it comes down to that. Within our walls and as a group and as a team, I think we’re pretty composed but driven. You know, we’re pretty stable. I think we’ve got to think calmly. We’
ve got to keep our emotions and direct it in the right way and there’s certain conversations that we have that we’re really clear with, as a football club, with Jason [Wilcox], with Omar [Berrada], with the owners, and down to the players. I think it’s really important that we’re all pulling in the same direction. There’s a real balance between that fire and desire to make things happen. But you’ve got to do it from a platform of stability and having a clear plan.”
Does Carrick feel backed by the board?
Have you needed reassurance from the board?
“Certainly not, no. I don’t need any reassurance. It’s pretty clear. You know, it’s pretty clear. I know the role. I know my responsibilities. I don’t need anyone else to kind of tell me that or tell me when it’s going well or when it needs to be better. I know that myself. I know the realities and I’ve got no problem with that. Yeah, it’s pretty clear, there’s not much I can really elaborate on that, you know. I know we’ve got to win football games for everything to flow and everything to fit into place. That’s the great thing about it, you know? We can do something about it.”
But you feel backed?
“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I? I’m in this position, I have a good relationship, a really good relationship with everyone at the football club. There’s really no issues and no problems with any of that side. We’ve got to win games of football and that’s what we’re striving to do.”