Carrick says Manchester United revival will take time before Aston Villa test

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick says the club can return to the level achieved under Alex Ferguson, but warned that rebuilding success will not happen overnight.

Carrick is preparing for Sunday’s crucial Premier League meeting with Aston Villa (kick-off 6.30pm), a match that could be his last in charge. United ended a nine-game winless run by recovering from 2-0 down to beat Roma 3-2 in the Uefa Champions League on Tuesday, but they have not won in the English Premier League since August and are outside the relegation zone only on goal difference.

The United board has given Carrick a temporary reprieve, but the two-week international break after the Villa match provides an opportunity to appoint a replacement unless he can demonstrate that his side are progressing.

Carrick was a member of United’s successful team during Ferguson’s reign, when the club won numerous major honours. Their fortunes have declined substantially since the Scottish manager retired following the club’s most recent Premier League title in 2013.

Carrick rejected the idea that United could never reproduce that era of success.

“It’s not impossible. Anything is possible,” he said on Friday.

“The recent history that we’ve had and where we want to get to, it’s not going to happen in the blink of an eye – it’s not going to happen overnight. Success does take time and we don’t like having to spend time, but it does take a period of time to build.

“We showed a really quick response and improved a lot last season and, you know, it shows what is possible. But again, sustaining it is the key, consistency is the key.

“There’s no other way of doing it. There’s no shortcuts to it and in the end that’s where you get to, but it’s definitely possible.”

United’s victory over Roma came at a cost, with £70 million (about R1.64 billion) signing Carlos Baleba suffering a hamstring injury. Carrick confirmed the Cameroon international is expected to be unavailable for a “number of weeks”.

Iraola urges Liverpool to keep perspective

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has called for calm after successive defeats by Arsenal and Fenerbahce ended a positive spell for the club.

Liverpool’s 1-0 loss to Arsenal last week left them nine points behind the Premier League leaders. Three days later, they suffered their first Uefa Champions League defeat of the season in Turkey.

Iraola, in his first campaign as Liverpool manager, acknowledged the setbacks had been painful before Sunday’s visit to struggling Crystal Palace (kick-off 4pm).

“One week ago in this press conference, we were on a run, everything was in a good place, and we were in a better mood,” the Spaniard said.

“Now, two defeats, it changes, and it has to change. It has to be like this, in clubs like ours. And now we have to react. After two defeats, we need the win against Palace away.”

Iraola succeeded Arne Slot in June and said fluctuations were unavoidable early in his tenure.

“When we lose a game everyone is angry, but we have to have some perspective and we know in the process there will be ups and downs,” said the former Bournemouth boss.

“We are not as bad as we look today, we were not as good as we looked one week ago and we have to have some perspective. This is part of my challenge also in terms of mood for the group.”

Elsewhere on Sunday, Brighton host Brentford, Ipswich Town face Bournemouth and Chelsea travel to the Stadium of Light to play Sunderland, with all three matches kicking off at 4pm.