Mourinho: I Wish Carrick Was 25

Jose Mourinho has admitted his frustration that he cannot play “phenomenal” Michael Carrick more often, stating his wish to have a 25-year-old version of the Manchester United veteran.

Carrick is now in his 11th season as a Red and the 35-year-old midfielder registered his fifth appearance of the campaign in midweek, producing an excellent performance in the 1-0 win over Manchester City.

His display was so impressive that many supporters have called for him to feature more regularly and Mourinho understands that assessment, although he pointed out during his press conference on Friday that he must carefully manage the playmaker’s workload at this advanced stage in his career.

“One thing is to have a 25 year old and another is to have a 35 year old,” Jose told reporters at the Aon Training Complex. “That is the logic of things. The only thing I can say is he is phenomenal, no doubt about it. Do I have to manage him? I have to. I cannot expect from Michael what I expect from Rashford or Herrera in terms of playing three to five consecutive matches, but he is phenomenal.

“When you say he played in the last two wins, for sure it shows that he gives us important things on the pitch. He gives stability in our game and mental freedom to the other guys around him to be more offensive. He is not just a player, but one who has a big understanding of the game.

“It's a pity he is not 25. It's a pity you can't stop the clock. In five years Messi will be 34 and we will all be crying that he is 34. Michael is a very good player and one who will be very difficult to replace.”

Carrick will hope to feature on Saturday afternoon when United welcome Burnley to Old Trafford in the Premier League.