Carrick sees signs United are moving on from Ferguson era
LONDON: Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick thinks he has seen signs in recent performances that the club might finally be set to move on from the Alex Ferguson era.
United have changed managers three times since Ferguson brought down the curtain on his trophy-laden, 27-year reign at Old Trafford in 2013.
While both David Moyes and Louis van Gaal failed to lead the club to a top-three finish in the league, Carrick thinks things are starting to click into place under Jose Mourinho.
“It was never going to happen overnight. I don’t think we were ever going to move on so quickly,” Carrick, who joined the club in 2006, told reporters.
“Sir Alex had been here so long. It doesn’t happen overnight and everyone forgets about it, but there are certain signs that we are getting there. I can say that. I know we are well away in the league, but there are signs that we can feel something is coming. Time will only tell with that, though.”
United have drawn five of their last seven league games and stand sixth in the table, 11 points off the pace.
They beat West Ham United 4-1 on Wednesday to reach the League Cup semi-finals, however, having inflicted a 4-0 defeat on Feyenoord in the Champions League on November 25.
“There have been occasions in the cups where ... the goals have gone in. It hasn’t quite happened in the league... but if we keep playing like that, we will be okay,” the 35-year-old said.
“It is not something where you just flick a switch... you have to build as a team... I think we will be all right.”
United visit Everton in their next league game today.
Meanwhile, full-back Seamus Coleman is hoping Everton can maintain their unbeaten run at Goodison Park to leapfrog United with a victory today.
The Merseyside club have 19 points from 13 games to sit in seventh, a point and place behind United, and despite struggling for recent form, Everton have won and drawn three apiece of their six league home games.
“We can take confidence from the home record. The home form has been good. If we beat United today, we go above them in the league,” Coleman told the club website (www.evertonfc. com).
“It is going to be a tough game against Manchester United, but we have to go out and perform, and do so for 90 minutes – not for 45.
“The way things are going at the minute, we just want to get out there and put things right.
“We have to look forward, do the right things... There have been some games recently where we haven’t been good enough.”
The 28-year-old right back has played 10 league games this campaign and scored twice, including a late equaliser against Swansea at home last month.
Second-placed Liverpool begin a five-week spell without playmaker Philippe Coutinho away to Bournemouth today.