After leading the team to a 1-1 away draw against Leeds United in the seventh round of the Premier League, Manchester United manager Carrick attended a press conference. This article covers the first part of the press conference.
Michael, I wanted to ask you about the team's performance today and what you saw from them. The team showed great commitment and fighting spirit today, didn't they?
Yes, I think the team absolutely showed that strong commitment and fighting spirit today. In today's game, that spirit was essential. As I mentioned to you a few days ago, I've never doubted it; I can truly feel it. In the past few days, the atmosphere within the team, everyone's feeling, and the way the lads have approached training and preparation, it's genuinely been one of our best periods in quite some time.
So, I was really looking forward to today's game to witness firsthand the tension and intensity involved. This morning, I spoke with the lads for a bit about the significance of this match, its long history, and what it means to the fans, to the entire club, and even to us coming here to play away on this pitch—what it takes to win games here and achieve ideal results. If you come here and aren't 100% prepared, this game will absolutely test you; it will test what kind of performance you can deliver.
In my opinion, while the lads' performance today wasn't flawless or an incredibly stunning display, it certainly showcased many crucial qualities. You could clearly see how closely knit the entire team was and how determined they were to get a result today.
This week saw three new players in midfield, including in the central core area...
Yes, you mentioned that, and the team certainly showed a renewed vitality and freshness. Of course, we obviously have other squad options; some players are currently available, and some are temporarily sidelined due to injuries. But, if you look at the midfield today with Carlos (Baleba) and Andrey (Santos), in the central axis, this is indeed a very fresh and dynamic core midfield. Both of them are young players, adapting to life and the rhythm of this club. I think both of them performed exceptionally well today, and they did quite well in the midweek game too. So, for us, this is a huge positive sign.
Yes, tactically we did make a slight adjustment. Over time, we've been asking Amad (Diallo) to take on more defensive responsibilities on the right wing, depending on the specific opponent and match situation. Sometimes Matheus (Cunha) operates on the left and then drifts into the center. So, it wasn't a massive, revolutionary change. I think many of the overall tactical principles remained similar, but we had to adapt specifically to the opponent's strengths, as they posed many challenges for us with their wide play and threats in behind the defense. Therefore, I believe we generally did quite well in dealing with those threats.
Michael, Bryan (Mbeumo) has scored for two consecutive weeks. With Benjamin (Sesko) absent, you've asked him to take on a very challenging role. Can you elaborate on his performance and his contribution to the team?
Bryan gives so much to this team; he is an incredibly sacrificial player. He's willing to do almost anything that's asked of him for the overall benefit of the team. Whether it's defending in specific areas or actively participating in attack, he gives his all without reservation.
His role on the field was slightly adjusted today, but when we had possession and were attacking, his play was basically as usual; however, his defensive responsibilities were a bit different. But his whole mindset is focused on helping the team play well. Not only did he score—and frankly, he could have scored another goal today. It was the same in the midweek game; he always makes excellent threatening runs, causing huge damage for us. It's fantastic to have a player like him.
Michael, you previously mentioned that you've learned a lot from the players during this period of team development and growth...
To be honest, today's performance didn't surprise me. We won't get carried away or overly triumphant because of this match, as we didn't win in the end. But I firmly believe that as long as you continue to do the right things with the right motives, you will eventually get the rewards you deserve.
If I'm being frank, today felt like a new beginning—clearly defining where we are now, accepting it, and taking practical steps to change it. This absolutely shows how eager and desperate the lads are to play well for each other; this sense of responsibility among teammates transcends everything. It also fully reflects how much everyone cherishes the opportunity to represent this club, because in the past few days, there has been a very strong and clear sense of purpose throughout the team, and they brought that spirit perfectly onto the pitch.
I have to admit, it was a very tough game today. Considering their playing style, if you were slightly complacent, they would quickly exploit the weaknesses. But the lads did an excellent job today, resisting the pressure and meeting the challenge head-on.
Could I ask you about Youri Tielemans' performance? He provided an assist today and could have had more. How has his recent form and integration been?
I'm very, very impressed with Youri. He's shown absolutely everything we expected and hoped to see when we brought him in. I think his extensive experience, his presence on the pitch, and his personal character—we were just talking about Bryan making sacrifices for the team, and Youri is absolutely one of them. He'll give his all for anything you ask him to do for the team's benefit. He has immense game experience, and today he stepped up again, leading the entire team forward. We have some very good and experienced players, and his addition has undoubtedly greatly enhanced our strength in that area.
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