Carrick praises ‘very difficult’ Sabah after Manchester United’s 4-0 Champions League win

Michael Carrick said Manchester United had been made to work hard by Sabah Baku despite securing a convincing 4-0 victory in the opening round of the UEFA Champions League league phase.

The result gave United a comfortable start to their European campaign, while Sabah Baku were making their first appearance in the Champions League.

Speaking to TNT Sports after the match, Carrick highlighted the importance of both the victory and his side’s clean sheet.

“It is good to keep a clean sheet and, of course, to win the match,” said the Manchester United manager.

He also praised his team’s attacking players, adding: “There were a lot of positive aspects. I thought our forwards were excellent.”

Carrick insisted the scoreline did not fully reflect the challenge posed by the visitors, who he felt were capable of making the match difficult for United.

“I have to give them a lot of credit; they are a very difficult team,” he said. “They play with short, precise passing, which makes you work extremely hard to win the ball back.”

Although United ultimately recorded a four-goal victory, Carrick said the match had not always felt as straightforward as the final score suggested.

“It looks like a comfortable result,” he said. “It was not always like that, but I think we put in a good performance tonight, and that gave us this good result.”

Carrick also drew attention to the contribution of midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, who he said had played an important role in linking United’s attacks and influencing the game from a deeper position.

“He is a great player, his performance was amazing,” Carrick said. “He plays in a slightly deeper position, links the attacks, starts them and has a big impact on our matches.

“He is a valuable addition to the team. He wants to learn and develop, he listens well and expresses himself clearly on the pitch.”

Manchester United will now turn their attention to a major domestic fixture against Manchester City on Sunday. The match will be played at Old Trafford in the Premier League.

Their next Champions League fixture will come against Atletico de Madrid in Spain on 13 October.