Michael Carrick spoke to the press as Manchester United prepared to face AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League on Friday evening.
Manchester United return to action on Friday evening after their 3-1 win against Aston Villa last Sunday to take a three-point lead in the Champions League race.
A win against Bournemouth would take United just five points behind second-place Manchester City, who will break from Premier League action this weekend to face Arsenal in the Carabao Cup before an FA Cup tie against Liverpool next weekend.
Manchester City’s next Premier League game is away against Chelsea, with Arsenal at home the week after. If Michael Carrick can continue to pick up points, then United may be able to aim higher than third place.
United faced Bournemouth in the last game before the AFCON earlier this season in a 4-4 draw at Old Trafford. Amad, Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes and Matheus Cunha netted goals to secure a point – all will be key if United want three points on Friday, as will Kobbie Mainoo.
Carrick speaks on Mainoo’s impact
Before Carrick arrived at Manchester United, Kobbie Mainoo hadn’t started a Premier League game, but was immediately thrown in by Carrick in the Manchester derby. And Mainoo has been key ever since.
“Of course, you can always improve on a lot of things,” said Carrick in the pre-match Bournemouth press conference. “But just the age he’s at just for starters, there’s so much more to come and develop and that’s just natural. That’s not a negative on Kobbie by any stretch.
“That’s just the stage he’s at in his career. So, hopefully, he has got a lot of layers to improve and keep developing on that. I think he’s done really well.
“I think not having a lot of football for a period of time to come in and play a run of games and find your rhythm. I think he did that really quickly, and there’s a natural kind of a flow, really, and I thought he was really good again on the weekend, and putting in a performance where he did a little bit of everything, controlled the game as well as defended when he had to defend.
“I’m really impressed with him.”
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Will Mainoo be recalled to England duty?
Mainoo hasn’t been in any England squad since Thomas Tuchel took charge, but Carrick seems to be tipping him for a return to the camp sooner rather than later.
“I’d love to see them picked for this one and for the summer,” said Carrick on Mainoo, Maguire and Shaw. “The way they’re playing, I think they’ve put themselves right in the conversation and right in the picture and given themselves a chance.”
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Mainoo will be key for United for the remainder of the season and beyond. He will be crucial in how United perform without Casemiro next season, as he has already confirmed he will leave the club at the end of the campaign.
The England international looks to have returned to his best under Carrick and will need to impress against Bournemouth on Friday. It will be a tough test for United.
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