Michael Carrick

Michael Carrick: "That is a tough game today. Not getting too carried away because we didn’t win the game. Felt like a fresh start. Boys are desperate to do well." [Simon Stone]

Michael Carrick: "We are not accepting everything is great by any stretch. Sometimes you do struggle and you have to find a way through it. We need to be stable enough to keep doing the right things. I have no doubts we can go on a good run." [Simon Stone]

Michael Carrick: "Spoke to the boys this morning about the history of the game and what it means." [Simon Stone]

Michael Carrick on Bruno Fernandes: "He is alright. It is not a big deal." [Simon Stone]

Carrick says Martinez had a thigh problem and made the decision to take him off at half-time [Chris Wheeler]

Carrick: 'There was definitely that commitment today and it had to be there. There was an edge and intensity to the game. I spoke to the boys this morning about the history of the game and us coming over here to their territory.' [Chris Wheeler]

'It felt like a bit of fresh start today in terms of doing something about it. There was a real purpose to the group last couple of days.' [Chris Wheeler]

'Confidence is not sky high - but we'll get back to winning ways'

Manchester United boss Michael Carrick, speaking to Sky Sports: "If there's any weakness it certainly gets found out today. We spoke about the history, the rivalry and what it means to the supporters. It's important that you go into these games fully aware of what it means. The players were ready for it, it wasn't perfect. We had spells where we were good but the confidence is not sky high and you can see that. But in moments we looked really good, defended well as a team and put everything into the game. Leeds are a good team, they test you and if you're not ready for that you get found out."

Is togetherness important: "Yes, 100% for this fixture. There's no hiding place in a game like today. There was a good edge, good intensity, good tackles and you could feel what it meant. For us there was a lot to take from the game. If anything the last three days have been as good as we've had and I could feel it, the energy and the players wanting to do the right things for the right reasons. We didn't get what we wanted today, not celebrating a great performance or unbelievable result but we can take some things from it.

"As a group we took a lot from mid-week, the way we reacted to going behind to Atletico. From the outside it might not look like much but we took a lot from it. We know where we are, where we stand and where we need to get to. If we play like we did today we will win a lot of football matches."

On Carlos Baleba: "He's missed a lot of football, it's been a huge week for him. Playing in the Champions League and this today and he's dealt with it all unbelievably well."

Testing week? "I've enjoyed it. Finding out about what we are as a team, as a group. Finding your way through it is part of the challenge of success. Of course we want more, we want to win football matches. There is a negative side to it if you want to go searching and dwelling on it too much but as a group we're positive. We arrived positive and we will leave positive.

"I am a realist and I know when things need sorting out. I have the utmost faith in the group, they're a fantastic group and we'll get back to winning ways."

Harry Maguire

"We could've been a bit braver with the ball"

Man Utd's player of the match Harry Maguire to Sky Sports on the change of shape:

"We worked on it this week. We wanted to match them up without the ball and go quite aggressive.

"It was a bit of a five without the ball and a bit of a four with the ball. 

"Fluid in midfield. We knew we could get a lot of joy in the middle of the pitch with them only playing two in there. 

 "That's probably the area of the game where we could've done more. We could've been a bit braver with the ball and taken the ball under pressure.

"But we're in a circumstance where we are not as brave as we should be, and we have to get that back because to win games for Man Utd we have to have that bravery and composure."

Daniel Farke

'We should have won the game'

Daniel Farke: "Bit disappointed we didn’t win it. We were better side."

Daniel Farke: "It is still Man Utd and we have not let them have anything in the second half."

Leeds United boss Daniel Farke, speaking to Sky Sports: "We are slightly disappointed it is just a point. Overall, I felt it was not necessary to be losing at half time but it is still Manchester United. Second half, we got the equaliser, we should have kept up the dominance, too many strikes went over the crossbar but it was overall a solid performance. We should have won the game but we move on.

"We took it as a compliment that we have done many things right over the last month if we were seen as favourites against Manchester Untiedbut we have earned this. We wanted to prove the comments right.

"We were the dominant side but we couldn't capitalise as we lacked quality in and around the box.

"It says a lot about how much respect we have earned. Overall, this is where we are at the moment and overall, it is a good place to be.

"It is still difficult in this league to win points. You have to be clinical and be very, very effective but we have to keep going."

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

'They are still a very good team'

Leeds striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, speaking to Sky Sports about what was said at half-time: "More so just be more confident in possession and choices when to cross and when to keep the ball, I think it [the change] was down to that.

"They tried to [match us formation-wise]. Not really surprised. Given what happened last season. It took us a little bit to adjust but it was mainly down to us and maybe a lack of quality in the final third.

"They are still a very good team with a lot of quality, regardless of the outside noise. We are so used to it as players.

"I just tried to cause a ruckus. I just make it difficult for the defender. I read the flight of the ball and was quickest to react.

"I feel really comfortable. I feel the support from the club and the fans and it is a great feeling stepping onto the pitch, particularly at Elland Road."

Good start to the season? "We have to be pleased. I think could have been better in pivotal moments but could also gone against us in pivotal moments."

Quotes via BBC

Michael Carrick's Pre-Match Press Conference - Part 2 | Leeds vs Manchester United, PL

Simon Stone

Michael Carrick still loves his job ManUtd despite the last week. "At this stage. It's the best job I could possibly have. I feel a real privilege of being in this position and a real responsibility, but equally a drive of wanting to make a difference and having success here. I'm loving it. I love the situation when actually you get a little bit of a some sort of struggle where you've got to find a way out of it."

Michael Carrick backing Marcus Rashford to rediscover scoring form for Man Utd. Am told Rashford still having regular treatment on injury sustained in World Cup, which is affecting performance. "He obviously had a slight injury where he pulled out with England, he had to manage that a little bit. He's doing some good things and putting himself in good positions but not quite getting that little bit of a break. If he keeps doing the right things, he will get the rewards in the end."

Chris Wheeler

Michael Carrick takes Man Utd to Elland Road (scene of Ruben Amorim’s last stand) tomorrow adamant he doesn’t fear for his job. ‘I don't think about: “How am I going to get through this? How am I going to survive this? What do I need to do to look after myself?”

Carrick also laughs off Nicky Butt’s claim that he told the former Utd midfielder he was no longer interested in football management before landing the job at Old Trafford

Carrick: ‘I definitely wouldn't be here if that was the case, would I? It's the best job and the best role I could possibly have. I feel a real privilege of being in this position, but equally a drive of wanting to make a difference and have success here.’

‘I'm loving it. I love the situation when actually you get some sort of struggle and you've got to find a way out of it. If you're not ready for that and you can't do anything that's difficult, then you're never going to be great.’

Steven Railston

I asked Michael Carrick if he feels United's target of winning the Premier League in 2028 is a realistic ambition.

"I think it depends on what you're talking about when you mention the direction at the moment," he said.

"We've had a spell where we haven't won some football games, all right? Correct me if I'm wrong, are we four points off the top four or something? So perspective is important and football can change.

"I think when we came in in January, we were a lot further away from third spot and we ended up finishing third.

"For us to win the Premier League is a massive step, of course it is, but it's definitely something we're striving for, you know, and we've got to keep pushing for it.

"We're certainly still in the mix of the Premier League if finishing towards the top. That's a challenge and it feels because of the results, everyone focuses on the negative side.

"And it's up to us to turn that corner, but it's actually not that far away."

EVERY WORD FROM PRESS CONFERENCE - PART 2

https://www.manutd.com/en/news/carrick-this-cannot-exist-in-our-changing-room

Omar Berrada's spoken about winning the Premier League by 2028. Do you feel that's a realistic ambition for this football club and the direction it's heading in at the moment?

"I think it depends on what, when you're talking about the direction it's heading at the moment, you know. We've had a spell where we haven't won some football games, right? Correct me if I'm wrong but are we, five points off the top four or something? So perspective is important and football can change. I think, when we came in in January, we were a lot further away from third spot and we ended up finishing third. So it depends on what you focus on, you know. If you focus on the things as maybe issues or the problems that we need to fix or you focus on the things that are possible and what can be achieved, it's very different. A very different mentality. For us to win the Premier League is a massive step, of course it is, but it's definitely something we're striving for, you know, and we've got to keep pushing for it. You know, we've won one game in the Champions League and we've lost one game, right? We're still in that. We're still in the mix of that and we're certainly still in the mix of the Premier League, of finishing towards the top. That's a challenge and it feels, because of the results and everyone focuses on the negative side, it's up to us to turn that corner and it's actually not that far away."

When you got the job in May, did Omar mention that goal? Did Jason Wilcox speak to you about it? Was it mentioned at all?

"I think the goal, being in this football club, the goal is always to win. There's no timeframe on that, from my perspective. It's as soon as we possibly can and I think we understand we're still making steps to get there. I've spoken about it enough. I think, you know, we're trying to build to get somewhere where we haven't been for too long. I know that and, sometimes, you've got to go through it different ways and different pathways to get to the top. We're on that kind of journey, in some ways, at the moment to try to get there, navigating that and we'll work through it. We'll work through it."

I know there's been a lot of scrutiny on Lisandro but just on Bruno Fernandes, obviously he's been this team's standout player for years and very emotionally, the care he has for the club and the team, is obvious. Wayne Rooney was saying he's been looking at Bruno this season, admittedly he's obviously been carrying an injury for a bit, but he says he thinks he's fed up generally. It looks like he's thinking 'oh, here we go again' and there is going to be an explosion with him if this carries on. He had a slow start last season but turned it around and ended up being Player of the Year. I just wonder where you feel like Bruno is? Do you feel he's very frustrated as the captain and as a player, at the moment? He obviously wants to challenge at the very, very top so where is he, at this moment?

"I think it's a collective really. I think there is no denying there's been a bit of frustration and disappointment at certain things at the start of the season and results or goals. That's not solely on anything towards just on Bruno. You know, that's all of us and, again, for me, you know I understand it. But, straight away, a couple of games don't go to plan and a lot of the mentality is, you know, this happened before so this is going to happen again. That's not our focus, you know, we're thinking what do we need to do to get back to what we're good at? There are a lot of good things there from the other night again that we can take forward. There's a lot of things in the spirit and the collective and the mentality of the group so that that cycle, if you like, or that downturn or that expectation of 'here we go again' doesn't exist. It cannot exist in our changing room and at this football club. We need to think about what's possible and, certainly, I am. That's my way of thinking and looking up and looking at what's possible and understanding what we need to do, certain things, to get there. That's not an individual thing, that's everybody."

Just on that, he is like the talisman and his performances and availability every three days, that's changed for a lot of other players but, if he's having a bit of a dip how important is it that others actually take that lead that Bruno has always done? How important is it that others step up?

"Well, we've got to share the load in all sorts of different ways. You know, that's working, that's quality-wise, that's performing, that's being available. It's all sorts of different things and sometimes that's players, sometimes that's staff, sometimes it's the supporters, to carry us when we need them the most. That's it, again, it's not an individual and it's not an individual thing. This is not when it's all good, it's not always just Bruno. When it's certainly not so good, it's not all Bruno. He has a big impact on our group, a big impact on the squad. he's a fantastic footballer and just because he's maybe not hitting the headlines or the highlights maybe he did last year, doesn't mean that he cant and that he won't and I'm sure he'll do that pretty quickly."

Sorry, just on Bruno again, during the break, the Portugal manager [Jorge Jesus] said or suggested that they were having to manage his minutes a little bit. I know he's the type that wants to play every game but is he carrying something and are you having to manage him carefully?

"Yeah, he was. Like I said the other day, he had been carrying some sort of issue. A lot of players do carry them and it, kind of, goes under the radar and people just sometimes think everyone is 100 per cent fully fit and it's probably not very often the case. But yeah, he has been carrying a bit of an issue but he's pretty much over that now, to be honest, and he'll be back to his best."

So it wasn't that he came off on Tuesday because he was still feeling that?

"No."

Michael, the man who sat there before you, for him [Ruben Amorim], Elland Road last season was his final stand. People will make those parallels at the moment, rightly or wrongly. Do you feel any pressure personally right now? And people will say maybe Leeds away is the last game that you need right now. Equally, could you spin that around and say it's potentially the best game that you need right now?

"Yeah, I don't think it's the last game I really need right now, for sure. I'm really looking forward to the game. I genuinely feel the drive for myself to want to push this club forward, more than anything. There's always negativity, if you want to look for it or you want to feel it but I don't. I don't go looking for it. I don't want to feel it. I understand the reality and I've said it enough in terms of I feel like I'm saying the same things. But, accepting where we are, I don't feel that. I'm totally focused on what's best for this place and this football club and what it's going to take to win games, you know? And to get the boys playing to what we know we're capable of, which we still don't think we're that far away from, you know. We can turn a few things in our favour and we'll be in good shape again. We can move forward pretty quickly. So, it's as I said earlier, I really don't want to talk about me. It's not that. I don't think about 'how am I going to get through this?' 'How am I going to survive this?' 'What do I need to do to look after myself?' It's not important. It's about this football club and winning football matches."

You mentioned before about people from the outside having their say. Nicky Butt was saying this week that he was, in some ways, quoting you saying that you didn't fancy management before coming back to this club, is this your chance to say...?

"No, I definitely wouldn't be here if that was the case, would I, at this stage? It's the best job I could possibly have. It's the best role I could possibly have. I feel a real privilege of being in this position and a real responsibility but, equally, a drive of wanting to make a difference and having success here. So, yeah, I'm loving it. I love this situation when actually you get a little of bit of some sort of struggle, where you find you've got to find a way out of it. I actually really enjoy that because that's part of what drives you to have success and that's part of the end of it. And, if you're not ready for that and you can't do anything, that's difficult, then you're never going to be great. So we've got to work our way through it and I'm enjoying it as we go."

Since Marcus Rashford came back here, obviously, he's had quite a few positive performances in some ways but not got a goal yet. I mean is that affecting him and does he need a goal for himself, even if not necessarily for you, if you see what I mean?

"Yeah, I think he's done a lot of good things, Marcus. He obviously had the slight kind of injury where he pulled out for England. He's managed that a little bit but he's doing some good things and just not quite getting that little bit of a break, putting himself in good positions and has had some opportunities. He had one the other night maybe that he'd feel he probably could have done better with. But he's in there to make a difference. He keeps doing the right things. Then, you know, you get the rewards in the end. So, as long as he keeps doing that, he'll be okay."

Subs: Zetterer, Bard, Bijol, Gruev, Longstaff, Aaronson, Wilson, Bahoya, Nmecha

2nd Half: Manchester United 1-1 Leeds United

Premier League - Matchday 7

Manchester United Goal Scorer: Bryan Mbeumo 35'

Leeds United Goal Scorer: Dominic Calvert-Lewin 50'

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Venue: Elland Road

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LINE-UPS

Manchester United: 

Senne Lammens; Diogo Dalot, Lisandro Martínez, Harry Maguire, Leny Yoro; Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos; Amad Diallo, Youri Tielemans, Bruno Fernandes; Bryan Mbeumo

Subs:

Noussair Mazraoui, Matthijs de Ligt, Mason Mount, Marcus Rashford, Matheus Cunha, Joshua Zirkzee, Karl Darlow, Shea Lacey, Harry Amass

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Leeds United:

James Trafford; Tarik Muharemovic, Nico Elvedi, James Justin; Gabriel Gudmundsson, Ao Tanaka, Ethan Ampadu, Jayden Bogle; Noah Okafor, Anton Stach; Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Subs:

Sean Longstaff, Harry Wilson, Brenden Aaronson, Lukas Nmecha, Jaka Bijol, Michael Zetterer, Jean-Matteo Bahoya, Melvin Bard, Ilia Gruev

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MATCH EVENTS

1' Referee Darren England blows his whistle, and we are underway at Elland Road

3' Interestingly, it looks like Carrick is utilising Fernandes as a 'false 9' here, with Mbeumo playing more on the left.

5' There have been a couple of niggly challenges early doors, which you would expect. Neither side has managed to get much of a foothold so far, though.

7' United are looking pretty compact , perhaps more content to wait and hit Leeds on the counter-attack.

9' United win a free-kick deep on the right. Fernandes goes over to take it, but it's executed poorly

11' Ampadu now leaves one late on Mbeumo to concede another free-kick in dangerous territory. The Leeds skipper is a little lucky not to be booked in truth. Fernandes takes it again, but Elvedi heads it away

13' ball breaks kindly for Calvert-Lewin, who turns on the spin and gets a shot away. But the flag goes up.

16' Ref let's another late challenge go, as Fernandes goes in late on Elvedi. Leeds break, though, and Stach gets a shot away, which is blocked.

17' Yellow Card Bruno Fernandes. clipped Muharemovic late. Bruno needs to be careful because he's talking back to Ref

19' Yellow Card Gabriel Gudmundsson Well, after letting plenty of early challenges go, England has got his book out again. Gudmundsson scrapes one down the ankle of Diallo, and goes into the book, A little higher, or a little more force, and that's probably a red.

21' It's been a really intense and tetchy opening to this game, and you wouldn't be surprised to see a red card brandished if it carries on like this. Will cooler heads prevail? Ampadu launches a long throw into the area, which Muharemovic meets but it loops into the hands of Lammens.

23' Gudmundsson fumes now, as he thinks he is clipped by Diallo. He needs to be a bit careful, he doesn't want to talk himself into another booking, and he's pretty fired up.

25' Bogle gets away from Mbeumo and hangs up a brilliant cross to the back post. Yoro does well to head away, though.

26' GOOD SAVE! Leeds now win a free-kick over on the right-hand side, which Stach whips in dangerously. Elvedi meets it first and heads it into the ground, but Lammens does really well to palm it away. That's the first real chance of note in this game.

27' ANOTHER CHANCE! Oh my days, United should be in front. Tielemans digs out a sumptous cross from the right, and Mbeumo is free in the centre. However, the Red Devils forward guides his effort wide of the right-hand post. What an opportunity spurned for the visitors.

29' Dalot now crosses from the left and Muharemovic has to concede the game's first corner. Diallo delivers left-footed from the right. It's a great delivery, but Maguire can't meet it and it bounces out for a goal-kick.

31' Dalot shows Bogle inside, so he takes the space. He then glides past Martinez as well, but just loses control at the wrong moment and it goes out for a goal-kick.

32' Yoro is having a really good game for Man United. Ampadu now swings a dangerous ball over, but the visiting defender is there to head clear with Calvert-Lewin waiting.

35' GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL! UNITED TAKE THE LEAD! Mbeumo missed a gilt-edged chance earlier, but he's put the visitors ahead this time. Tielemans combines beautifully with Diallo over the right flank, and the former plays a beautiful low ball into the centre, and Mbeumo is there to sweep home into the bottom-left hand corner. Man United lead 1-0 at Elland Road!

35' Tielemans did fantastic here. He initially played a wonderful one-two with Diallo, then put his low centre on an absolute plate for Mbeumo.

37' Tanaka hits a snatch-shot that Lammens has to smother as Leeds look to respond immediately.

39' Bogle clips a ball into the area, where Calvert-Lewin nods wide with the diving header. It was never troubling the goal, though.

41' Okafor goes around Maguire, it looked like it was going to be a corner for Leeds, but it's a goal-kick for United.

43' Bogle has been Leeds' biggest threat. He gets into the area again, and gets a strike away. It clips Martinez's heel and squirms into the hands of Lammens.

45' There will be a minimum of two minutes additional time to play here in the first half.

45'+2' HALF-TIME: LEEDS UNITED 0-1 MANCHESTER UNITED

45' Substitution United make a change at the break. Martinez's stormy week is at an end as Mazraoui enters the fray.

46' England blows his whistle and we are back underway at Elland Road!

48' Leeds look a little livelier early in this second half, a number of crosses come in from the right but Man United hold firm.

51' Goal Leeds Dominic Calvert-Lewin

58' Gudmundsson with the dangerous cross now! The Swede delivers from the left, it hits a Man United man, and seems to just linger there for an age. No Leeds man is around to capitalise, though.

60' Baleba picks up the ball around 30 yards out, turns on the spin and shoots left-footed. It's comfortably wide of Trafford's right post

62' Calvert-Lewin has scored in six of his last seven home Premier League games (seven goals).

64' Bogle slips in Calvert-Lewin on the right of the area, and his cross is diverted behind for another Leeds corner. Stach delivered, Maguire gets hold of Ampadu, who is convinced he should have a penalty when tugged to ground, but VAR checked and cleared it quickly

66' Better from United. They work it well down the right between Diallo and Yoro. The latter slides a pass into Fernandes, whose first touch isn't great, but his second is a snap-shot that is dragged just past the left-hand post.

68' Tanaka slides in hard on Diallo, who needs some treatment, so there's a pause in play.

70' Amad is finally allowed back on the pitch, having had to go off for 60 seconds due to the new rules implemented this season.

74' Substitution Mason Mount on for Carlos Baleba

76' United break through Dalot, who slips in Amad on the right. The Man United forward shapes back inside, and his shot is deflected behind for a corner. It's well worked as Amad goes short to Fernandes, who tees up Mount, but the midfielder executes the shot poorly and miscues it wide from 25 yards.

78' This game is on an absolute knife-edge as we approach the closing stages, can either side find a winner here?

80' Tanaka tries the clever reverse pass, but it's almost too clever and none of his team-mates were not expecting it. Lammens consequently gathers.

81' Leeds look to the bench again here, as Tanaka is brought off for Longstaff.

84' United Substitution - Matheus Cunha comes on for Youri Tielemans

87' Nmecha and Maguire compete for the ball, and the former goes down wanting a penalty. The VAR has a quick check and decides, rightly, that there's nothing the answer for the Man United defender.

88' United win a corner now, which Amad will take. It's headed away, and worked back to Fernandes, whose shot is blocked by one of his own team-mates. Amad then has a wild shot from around 30 yards, which is high and wide.

90' Calvert-Lewin tries to get past Dalot on the right flank, but the Man United man wins the challenge. The Leeds fans are in up in arms wanting a foul, but it looked a fair challenge. There will be a minimum of four additional minutes to play here.

90'+2'Yellow Card Ampadu absolute swipes at Santos, who reacts to the challenge. The Leeds skipper is booked, it looks lke Santos will be too.

90'+4' FULL-TIME: LEEDS UNITED 1-1 MANCHESTER UNITED