Carrick: Top Defence
Sky:Michael Carrick believes Manchester United’s defence is the ideal foundation on which to build a title-winning side.
United have scored just six goals in seven Premier League games this season but at the back they have been superb, with Portsmouth’s Benjani Mwaruwari and Geovanni of Manchester City the only two players to have so far beaten Edwin van der Sar.
Carrick is delighted with the way United have defended and has also given his backing to the more attack-minded players who have been frustrated at the other end.
“Five clean sheets on the trot is a great achievement,” said the midfielder after the 2-0 victory over Chelsea.
“I know we play good football with plenty of flair but a lot of our game is based on how we defend.
“The back four and Edwin van der Sar have had a lot of credit lately and rightly so.
“But right from the front, I think everyone is doing their job defensively really well. We are very solid and we want to continue that because we will always create chances with the forward players we have.”
United started the season poorly but Carrick insists there was never a feeling of desperation, even when they found themselves near the foot of the table.
He explained: “It was so early in the season, we just felt it was important to keep on doing what we had been.
“We were playing well enough, we just had to wait until the results turned around.
“We got on to a run of 1-0s and it looked like it was going to be the same against Chelsea. But we finally got another one, so we will take that and move on.”
