MANCHESTER
\nManchester United\u2019s interim manager Michael Carrick on Friday said his \u200bplayers were \u201citching to get going\u201d again when they host fellow Champions League hopefuls Aston \u200cVilla, after suffering their first defeat under his leadership.
\nLast week, 10-man Newcastle United ended Carrick\u2019s unbeaten run after William Osula came off the bench to score a spectacular 90th-minute solo winner.
\nCarrick, who replaced Ruben Amorim in January, has guided \u200bUnited into the top four after a strong run and the third-placed side will \u200blook to keep up their push for a Champions League spot when they host fourth-placed Villa on Sunday.
\n\u201cI understand the first defeat feels different but it was going to \u200bcome at some point. Most teams have suffered that at some point,\u201d Carrick told reporters.
\n\u201cIt has \u200bbeen a really good week in some ways, we have put ourselves in a position where there is a lot to play for.
\n\u201cIt was disappointing the way the game ended (against Newcastle) but we have digested that, looked at \u200bit and learned from it. We have trained really well this week and the boys are \u200bitching to get going.\u201d
\nScholes criticism
\nUnited\u2019s defeat by Newcastle prompted a dig from former player Paul Scholes, \u200cwho \u2060wrote on Instagram: \u201cMichael has definitely got something special about him… cos Utd have been crap last four games.\u201d
\nAsked about his former teammate\u2019s comment, Carrick said: \u201cIt was nothing really, nothing to say about it really. That is just where we are in terms of social media captions and quotes.
\n\u201cIt can be \u200btaken in different ways, \u200bso just be calm \u2060about it. There are different opinions out there and things can be taken from one extreme to another.
\n\u201cIt is what it is. I am \u200bnot worried about it. I don\u2019t make a big deal about it.\u201d
\nCarrick \u200bsaid he would \u2060be able to call upon Mason Mount for the match against Villa after the midfielder missed their last six league games due to injury.
\n\u201cHe is an important player for us,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cHe is not \u2060100% and \u200bhe has only trained for a small period of time. \u200bBut he is back and that\u2019s good for us. We will see if he is involved on Sunday. That is \u200bit in terms of the players coming back.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MANCHESTER Manchester United\u2019s interim manager Michael Carrick on Friday said his \u200bplayers were \u201citching to get going\u201d again when they host fellow Champions League hopefuls Aston \u200cVilla, after suffering their first defeat under his leadership. Last week, 10-man Newcastle United ended Carrick\u2019s unbeaten run after William Osula came off the bench to score a spectacular […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-536733","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n