Manchester United’s 2-1 win over Brentford on Monday evening put them on the brink of Champions League qualification, but interim manager Michael Carrick said they must keep pushing to finish as high up the Premier League table as possible.
The victory lifted United to third place on 61 points, 11 clear of sixth-placed Brighton & Hove Albion, with four games remaining.
With the top five qualifying for the Champions League next season, United need two more points to seal their return to Europe’s elite competition after a two-year absence.
“The Champions League is one thing, but it’s not something that we should be over-celebrating either,” former United midfielder Carrick told reporters.
“We want to be finishing high up the league really, and we want to be challenging high up in the league and trying to get more points so our season doesn’t get to a close when that happens.
“We have put ourselves in a good position, but there’s still more work to be done,” added Carrick, who took charge in January with United in sixth spot after Ruben Amorim’s dismissal.
“The results speak for themselves. Since the manager has come in and the formation has changed, we just seem to pick up results. I think that the games previous, when Ruben was here, the games were 50-50, but we always ended up on the back of a defeat. Now it seems like it’s the other way around
— Harry Maguire, defender
Casemiro was on the scoresheet on Monday, and while supporters have called on the club to keep him for another year, Carrick said the midfielder’s situation was clear.
“From both sides it’s pretty clear. Probably the situation and the clarity of it have helped everything,” he added. “It means a lot to him, and credit to him because of the situation that it is; he’s given absolutely everything as well and had some big moments for us.”
Defender Harry Maguire praised Carrick for the turnaround in the club’s fortunes after finishing 15th last term.
“We had two tough fixtures when Michael first came in, and I think everyone was probably looking at them thinking ‘oh no’, with Arsenal and Man City, and we managed to get the six points,” Maguire told Sky Sports.
“Everyone’s believed in it, and we’ve gathered together. We’ve got the confidence. We know that we can score goals from anywhere.”
United have won nine of their 13 games under Carrick, paving the way for a return to Europe’s biggest club competition.
“The results speak for themselves. Since the manager has come in and the formation has changed, we just seem to pick up results. I think that the games previous, when Ruben was here, the games were 50-50, but we always ended up on the back of a defeat,” Maguire explained.
“Now it seems like it’s the other way around, where we’re a lot better in both boxes. We defend our box a lot better, and we’re managing to be clinical in the other box.”
United next face fourth-placed Liverpool on Sunday.
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