Carrick: We Let It Slip

Michael Carrick voiced his disappointment after Manchester United surrendered a second-half lead to lose 3-2 away at West Ham United in the Barclays Premier League.

Carrick and his colleagues had come from behind to lead 2-1 with only twenty minutes left in the last-ever match at Upton Park, before a late comeback from the Hammers dented the Reds' chances of a top-four finish. Michail Antonio and Winston Reid both headed past David De Gea, and Carrick was frustrated that his side were unable to deal with the set-pieces.

Speaking to MUTV after the match, the midfielder said: "It's no good for us. We got ourselves back in the game and then didn't really help ourselves with giving away free-kicks. We have to be cleverer than that.

"We put ourselves under pressure by letting them put the ball in the box. In the end that's won them the game and we're very disappointed."

The Reds had recovered from falling behind to an early Diafra Sakho goal when Anthony Martial hit a second-half brace and Carrick was impressed by the Frenchman’s impact, despite the result.

“He was terrific once again," Michael told MUTV. "He's a real threat, isn't he? He’s had a terrific season.”

The match had been delayed by forty-five minutes prior to kick-off due to an attack on United's team bus, but Carrick doesn’t believe that his team-mates can use that as any excuse for their defeat. “Whatever has gone on beforehand, you’ve just got to get on with it. We were here, we were ready and we had over an hour to prepare for the game. It's no excuse.

“Where we were in the game at 2-1, you would have expected us to go on and win it. We got ourselves in the position and we should have held on. We should have done better. We should have seen the game out, and taken control of the game, but we let them back in it.”

The defeat leaves the Reds two points behind local rivals Manchester City in the pursuit of a top-four finish as the league season approaches its final weekend. Carrick admits that his side will now be underdogs when it comes to claiming a place in next season's Champions League ahead of the home encounter with AFC Bournemouth on Sunday.

"We have to [stay focused], that’s the situation that has presented itself now,” he told MUTV. “We were in control of it going into the West Ham game but we've let it slip. We have to win our last league game now and then see what happens."