Michael Carrick says Manchester United must build on Roma comeback after ending winless run

Michael Carrick praised Manchester United’s character after their 3-2 Champions League comeback against AS Roma, but warned that the result will only matter if they can follow it with further progress.

United recovered from two goals down to beat AS Roma at Old Trafford on Tuesday, ending a run of nine matches without a victory in all competitions.

The dramatic win offered Carrick some relief after he came under increasing pressure during United’s poor start to their Premier League campaign. However, their position remains precarious, with the club still 17th in the table.

United took only seven points from their first eight league matches, recording one win, four draws and three defeats. It was their worst return at that stage of a season since 1986/87, when Ron Atkinson’s team had collected four points.

They have played nine further league fixtures since then but have not added to that total. United’s latest league match ended in a 2-0 defeat by Chelsea, leaving them on seven points.

Carrick said the victory over AS Roma mattered both to the club and its supporters, who had watched United struggle for results in recent weeks.

“It’s a win for us. It’s a win for us as a football club, to see the supporters going home happy is what we live for, to give them performances and nights like this, so they can come back again energised, recharged and looking forward to the game at the weekend,” he said via the club’s official website.

The former Manchester United midfielder also felt the circumstances had tested the players and revealed more about their character.

“I think we’ve shown a lot of character as a group to weather what we’ve had to. You find out a lot about each other. The players will find out things about me and I certainly do about them, their character, what it means to them and what they’re prepared to put in.

“Tonight was right at that moment. It depends what happens next. We’ve got to make the most of it and move forward, but I’m feeling a lot better about things tonight.”

United face Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday before travelling to Anfield to play Liverpool. Those fixtures will provide Carrick’s side with an immediate opportunity to show whether the comeback against AS Roma marks a genuine change in their fortunes.