Carrick up for Chelsea clash

James Robson

November 02, 2009

Michael Carrick

MICHAEL Carrick helped United get back to winning ways and then roared: "Bring on Chelsea!"

The England star says there is no way the Reds will repeat the mistakes of Liverpool next Sunday.

"It is always a big game at Stamford Bridge, no matter what the occasion is," he said. "When it is tight at the top like it is, we do not want to lose track on the big teams.

"At this stage of the season it is just about accumulating points and seeing where you are in the later stages."

United's 2-0 win against Blackburn on Saturday leaves them two points adrift of Chelsea, and victory this weekend will see them leapfrog the Londoners. And with Dimitar Berbatov in his best form since his £30.75m move to Old Trafford, Carrick believes United have a player capable of winning the biggest matches.

After the Bulgarian's superb strike set United on the way to victory against Rovers, Carrick said: "It was a tremendous volley. That's what he's all about. We've seen him do it before and, hopefully, we'll see many more."

Will United beat Chelsea? Have your say.

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edinburgh red, edinburgh (02/11/2009 at 11:12)

Squeeked bring on chelsea more like,another ordinary player in our ranks along with valencia,o'shea,nani,berba and anderson,never controls a game,never shoots,never sets up goals ,never passes forward his only saving grace is that he took over from even poorer midfielders in o'shea and smith.

stevi, france (02/11/2009 at 11:17)

Big game next weekend and we really need to be up for it.....a draw would be ok but a win even better....

neal 07, south stand lower (02/11/2009 at 11:52)

On current form Michael, you are not dererving of your place, plus I really doubt if you could really dig in against fat frank!!! You play too many side & back passes and are not someone who the opposing midfield will look upon as an imposing threat

You are going through your first real blip since joining us, so knuckle down, work hard and for gods sake shoot more often!!!!

Monkey tennis?, yes please (02/11/2009 at 11:54)

Cheers Mike, thanks for the "roar", now go and practice your bite...
we'll do ok against chelsea, and no more than ok, as long as we get some steel into the midfield and sure up the defence. Could be a shocker for us, going off current performances we could be in for a hiding - nothing we've done of late suggests anything else.

Think there's a lot of work to do this week!

fleetwood red, fleetwood (02/11/2009 at 12:19)

i just hope fletcher is fit for the game or it could be embaresing...

Red Afro, Derby (02/11/2009 at 12:22)

I would rather another player talked. Michael should be speaking about improving his form rather than looking forward to a high profile game. Chelsea have excellent mid-fielders which, given Fletcher's unavailability and Carrick's dismal performances, leaves some of us deeply concerned for Sunday.

Solskjaer20Legend, Epsomville (02/11/2009 at 12:26)

I just hope we dont get absolutely destroyed, on current form we're looking average and thats being kind, we are just not the United of old. I just hope it's a transitional period and nothing long-term? Chel$ki are looking like a proper unit and are just hitting their straps, which is worrying, as our recent record Vs the so called big teams is not pretty viewing at all over the past 2-3 seasons.
Yet we do sometimes manage to eak out a result when not necessarily at our best so lets hope thats the case.

A plus pointisthe futures looking good with the youth thats coming through but we need to strat blooding a few of them and not keep reverting to our aging stars of yester-year to carry us forward when they should only be used to help close out games and not used collectively. Obertan, may hopefully turn out to be a steal, like Ole and Eric and kickstart the new-generation's hunt for immortality and yet more trophies....but thats the future, the present is what we need to sort out, starting with the Chavs this weekend!!

Gilly, Belgium (02/11/2009 at 12:53)

Lets hope we can pull out a win here ! MC , you are not playing up to scratch mate, so let others do the talking !

Alias Smith, over the moon (02/11/2009 at 12:56)

"I just hope we don't get absolutely destroyed" - what sort of talk is THAT from a United fan? I for one was glad to see Carrick regaining some form against Blackburn and I think we will do just fine against Chelsea. They being our main rivals for the title, the draw I expect will be a reasonable result.

Fletcher's better than Ireland, Salford (02/11/2009 at 12:56)

Carricks record speaks for itself, you should all get off his back......
Can you remimd me again of what he/we have won since he joined us?? Erm??????? 3 premier league titles i think + some other things, can't quite remember them.
I'm not saying Carrick has won all these trophies & titles on his own, but he has made a significant contribution to the cause. Also if i remember rightly his 1st game v Chelsea he was outstanding & didn't give Fat Frank & co. a moments rest.

I ain't worried bout chelski, just like the dippers & the magoo's they'll soon fall by the way side.

tony johnson (02/11/2009 at 13:05)

There appears to be some misinterpretation here. Where in the article does MC actually state "there is no way the Reds will repeat the mistakes of Liverpool next Sunday". And if he did make such reference then why does he seem to think mistakes are more acceptable against Liverpool and not Chelsea? Either he believes United fans don't mind losing to Liverpool as long we beat Chelsea or James Robson is just making up quotes to substantiate his column.

Steve Elliott (02/11/2009 at 13:35)

Big Game sunday we really cannot aford to lose this game, We have missed fletch but good news he is back in training

david allen (02/11/2009 at 13:38)

When you look at the fantastic 'double' winning team with the likes of Pallister, Bruce, Ince and Keane all formidable characters, you wouldn't have swopped any players from other clubs for any of them. Look at the present crop and barring Rooney and possibly Evra, there ARE a number of players you would take from other clubs. That's the difference. I feel we have gone backwards and only the genius of Ronaldo has kept the trophy haul considerable.

bobbydazzler (02/11/2009 at 13:55)

alias

why o why would you settle for a draw???? the best midfield squad in the entire history of football are you saying they are not good enough to get the better of the ruskis at the bridge.

imo you are always too ready to accept the draw.

bobbydazzler (02/11/2009 at 13:57)

hopefully when he comes face to face with essien in the battle for the ball he will not duck out of the challenge. who am i kidding

Solskjaer20Legend, Epsomville (02/11/2009 at 13:58)

Alias Smith, over the moon

I unlike you can see the way we're performing is not up to scratch, you just seem to think nothing is ever wrong and that we're in rude health when we are obviously struggling with cohesion and performance levels. I didn't go on all doom and gloom but you picked out the only real negative part of my post. I am somewhat worried we'll get battered but I think if we play the right personel and DF makes it back we'll maybe nick a result or get a draw.....If we dont, and continue playing squad men like O'Shea as first choice RB, we could end up on the back of a hammering not that I would wish that, but at the moment with the way we are performing I'm rightly concerned about the team coming up against a very strong Chelski side.
Who in our Midfield would get into theirs? Plus their defence is looking good whilst ours is having problems with injuries and form, and if incase you weren't aware their strikers are in great form in particular Drogba.....so yes i'm a little worried!!

Sorry for having an opinion.

Red Bear, Heaton Park (02/11/2009 at 14:23)

Chelsea are going well at the moment, we have not been. Their tricky time is in January (Africa), ours has just gone by. Points to a draw for me. Even so it's worth remembering that last season they conceded a goal by J S Park! And two or three cleared off the line. If we keep awake at the back it might not be all gloom and doom.

Fergie hasn't a CLUE, Madoc Ontario Canada (02/11/2009 at 14:27)

The mouse that roared?

edinburgh red, edinburgh (02/11/2009 at 14:37)

Solskjaer20Legend, totally agree with your points, a draw would be a good result for us,our recent record at the bridge is woeful and a team like ours should be aiming to create the same fortress at ot as they have.
Unfortunately they are a full strength and lampard and drogba have hit form and they are scoring from all over the pitch also, we will go 451 and hope for a draw.

Gilly, Belgium (02/11/2009 at 14:46)

Well said Skoljaer !!
We need to be at the top of our game for the chelsea match !

Ben'sDad, WA4 (02/11/2009 at 15:20)

There's little in our form which suggests we can win at Chelsea: they're playing superbly, and we're not. A draw would be a great result. But I hope no Chelsea fans are reading these comments. I can't recall a time in recent years when Chelsea fans feared a drubbing at OT. We badly need a fit Darren Fletcher to allow us at least the chance to disrupt their midfield.
Obertan has divided opinion like nobody else. Half of us seem to think he's a saviour, the other half a liability. I think he was terrific and woeful in equal measure. The weirdest debut I can remember.

Algernon Blabbermouth, eccles (02/11/2009 at 15:30)

Only hope Fergie does'nt get it wrong yet again by playing Scholes and Giggs like the scouse game otherwise we won't have a chance! great players in their day but not up to sort of pace Chelsea will play at next Sunday.Always noticed that when Carrick plays with Scholesy,he defers to him,also needs a stronger player alongside him which is where Anderson comes in.Already having nightmares about the Adoptedson ,Nani, Giggs, Scholes lining up at the Bridge!We can beat Chelsea but not with 7 men!

ribery's ankle, Amsterdam (02/11/2009 at 15:48)

Let's be honest! We're not in 'great' form, BUT when we DO hit form people will know it!!!
Firstly let's deal with the CSKA game, which we - should win!
We need to start converting chances - still a lot of energy and not enough action!!,...shoot more Reds!!
At this point in time a point will do me at rentboys at weekend!
They reckon they've it 'won' already!!, so we've nothing to lose!!
Seriously a point will do me there!
SAF needs to think about a central defender - though we've Wes & Evans, if honest Rio & Vidic looking shakey!!
Allez les Rouges

Britt/Canada (02/11/2009 at 16:01)

Fletcher's better than Ireland, Salford

If that truely is the case he's game as certainly deteriated over the years,& it really sounds like you are crediting MC with MU winning those trophy's,even though you kind of contradict that in the next line.If you believe that we have a good midfield that is your opinion,but I am sure that 75% of supporters would say it should have been strengthend over the past three seasons.SAF asked/demanded more goals & they have responded with their full ability.I do not believe one of them would be an automatic choice for any of the top four whicn is a disgrace for MU,,,anyway perhaps you were just winding most of us up,& you aren't worried about Chelsea? Unbelievable.

Hughesie, Manchester (02/11/2009 at 16:02)

Well I hope Carrick won't be playing after his awful performance against the scousers (norwegians). And to the United fans on here saying that we should be going for a draw, I totally disagree. We are MUFC, and Chelsea should be fearing us. We went to Anfield looking for a draw and look what happened. If the team believes we can win then I see why we can't go to Stamfford Bridge and get a win. 3 points and we go back to the top of the league.

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