Carrick Ready To Move On From EFL Cup Win

As Manchester United prepare to return to Premier League duty following a three-week hiatus, Michael Carrick admits the buzz of lifting the EFL Cup last weekend has already subsided.

The trick now, according to the veteran midfielder, is to harness the winning feeling which has pervaded Jose Mourinho's squad and use it to further propel the Reds' late-season momentum, starting with tomorrow’s visit of Bournemouth to Old Trafford.

"We came back to training on Wednesday and we started looking forward to Saturday's game," Carrick explains in Saturday's United Review.

"In the back of your mind, going into this run of games now, knowing that we’ve won a trophy gives you an extra boost, but it’s not something that we’ve been enjoying all week. You move on quickly, take what you can from it, take the positives, take that belief and confidence that it brings, but at the same time all the focus has to be on the next game. That’s the nature of being successful, I think: you have to move on quite quickly."

Historically, United's League Cup successes have been the springboard for further glory. Prior to last Sunday, three of the previous four triumphs have preceded the next season’s league title, with 2006’s win over Wigan Athletic sparking a new era of dominance. Coming so soon after last May’s FA Cup final victory over Crystal Palace, last weekend’s Wembley heroics have further reinforced the winning mentality infused in the Reds’ current crop.

"I think it can be important, especially on the back of the FA Cup," says Carrick, who announced his June testimonial match at a press conference on Thursday.

"I don’t think we can discard how important last season was. It’s a different management team, different squad with the new signings, but as a core group of players, that FA Cup was something that got us started.

"Now we’ve got this one, but each one you don’t want to let go, and hopefully with the new regime it’ll give everyone that feeling and that boost again, knowing that we can achieve things. That’s the biggest thing inside you now: knowing you can achieve something. People might say it’s just the League Cup, but it’s the League Cup that we’ve won, so we can take a lot from that."

United's progress in cup competitions has come in the absence of Premier League duties, having not played for points since beating Watford at Old Trafford on 11 February. Victory over Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon would move the Reds to within two points of second spot, however, and Carrick is in confident mood as he looks ahead to a fascinating climax to the league season.

"It’s been a strange period in terms of not having the league games," Michael admits. "Some results have gone for us and now’s the time to really get back to the nitty gritty of the league. Keep picking up points, keep being consistent, keep picking up wins and see where that takes us.

"It’s really tight. Four months ago we seemed quite a way off and I know Chelsea are up there at the moment on their own, but that still can change. At the moment it’s not something we’re probably focusing on, but who knows? A couple of results can change that. We’re right in there and we’ve got just about everyone to play, so anything can happen. We’re looking strong at the moment."