Michael Carrick commented on a 0-0 draw for Manchester United against Sunderland.
His side have sealed Champions League qualification thanks to a 3-2 triumph against Liverpool last weekend, and they have picked up the most points in the Premier League since the arrival of the interim head coach in January. However, this display at the Stadium of Light is not one to remember.
‘It’s an OK result’
Senne Lammens saved an early effort from Noah Sadiki, and Lutsharel Geertruida smacked the bar in the second half of this match. For the Red Devils, chances were even leaner on the ground.
Were it not for an injury time Matheus Cunha shot, they would have failed to register a single shot on target in a Premier League game for the first time since January 2015 under Louis van Gaal.
Many people will point out the rotation in the starting eleven from the visitors. Carrick had changed five players for this game after the derby at Old Trafford, including the removal of Casemiro for Mason Mount with a minor problem and Benjamin Sesko for Joshua Zirkzee with a shin issue.
Multiple factors could have contributed to this goalless stalemate, but as ever, Carrick stayed calm.
"It's an OK result. It isn't the end of the world by any stretch. We got a clean sheet away from home at a tough ground. We knew it was going to be tough. We knew it was never going to be a perfect game. It probably shows where we're at in terms of not playing totally at our best, so one point is OK.
“Maybe the changes affected our game a little bit, but it is a one-off game, and it isn't something I'm thinking negatively about. There were a lot of positives today and it was good for some of the boys to get more game time and more minutes on the pitch, so I was really pleased with that.
“We've scored goals for a long period of time, so not scoring in one game can also happen. It's not one to overanalyse from our point of view. I put this result down to football. There was a team out there defending as well as attacking, so it happens and I cannot be overcritical of our players today.
“[No issue with motivation.] Not at all. Nothing is done. The season isn't finished. If someone has that mentality, they aren't in our camp. That's really not something we're concerned about at all.
“[Casemiro] has played well. In terms of missing players, we have a really good squad anyway. It is one performance and one game, so I don't think we need to overanalyse that bit of it either."
