Carrick: We're In Form

Michael Carrick says we have found our true form at the best possible moment.

After 45 minutes of frustration and concern, United steamrollered Blackburn on Saturday. Carrick scored the crucial second goal in a period of sustained pressure and the former Tottenham man believes the Reds have peaked at the perfect moment.

'We're playing some great stuff,' he told MUTV. 'We're back to top form after a few weeks where we weren't so good. We've kept on winning, which is the key.

'Whether we've played well or badly in the next few games, as long as we're winning we'll get the job done.'

Carrick played a part in Rovers' first goal, forcing a save from Edwin van der Sar before Derbyshire converted the rebound from 10 centimetres out.

'Their goal was a bit scrappy from our point of view,' he said. 'I was at full stretch, I had to go for the ball and it's just come off Edwin and suddenly you're 1-0 down.

'You think 'here we go', but we stuck at it and in the second half we played some great stuff. Obviously we thoroughly deserved to win the game but it was nice to score a few goals as well.'

'We were playing so well, and when you're playing like that you don't want opportunities to slip by. So we were really determined to get three points and I think that showed the way we played second half.

Carrick also praised American keeper Brad Friedel who once again reserved his best display for the game against us.

'He was on fire, Brad [Friedel], and sometimes you think 'is this their day?'. But we stuck at it and kept playing the way we can play.

'We didn't get frustrated and start lumping it, we kept passing it, creating chances and thankfully they went in.'

They went in, true, but we needed a moment of inspiration from Scholes. No wonder that the equaliser was greeted by wild celebrations, in the stands as well as on the field.

'Once you get one it gives you a massive lift,' Carrick said. 'We came out second half and went right at them. You just hope for that first one to come sooner rather than later. Scholesy's bit of brilliance put us well on our way and then after that it was a matter of how many we could score.

'There was a lot of relief, to be fair. The longer it goes, the more impatient you become and once we got that we knew we were on our way to victory then. You've seen the lads celebrating, we went a bit mad! But after that we were comfortable.'

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