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Michael Carrick using derby day memory to motivate Manchester United ahead of facing Pep Guardiola’s City
MICHAEL CARRICK hopes Manchester United can summon the spirit of one of their most famous derby victories against City.
Carrick’s first game in charge as head coach is against Pep Guardiola’s side at Old Trafford on Saturday lunchtime.
And while he was finalising his return to United this week, Carrick regularly referenced the sensational 3-2 comeback triumph in April 2018.
City needed a win to clinch their first title under Guardiola and were 2-0 up at half-time.
However, United manager Jose Mourinho warned the players they would look like “clowns” in his half-time team talk.
Paul Pogba scored two goals inside three minutes to level the match and Chris Smalling volleyed in Alexis Sanchez’s 69th-minute free kick for the winning goal.
City had planned to let off fireworks to mark their maiden championship under Guardiola yet the collapse left some Blues in the stands in tears.
Carrick was not in the matchday squad but he was at the Etihad as he had started to watch matches from the dugout ahead of joining Mourinho’s coaching staff in the summer.
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And, as club captain, Carrick was vocal during the pause in an attempt to motivate his team-mates.
Full back Ashley Young and midfielder Ander Herrera also made impassioned addresses with United trailing by two goals.
Wayne Rooney, who preceded Carrick as captain, made the journey across town despite injury for the March 2016 derby.
Rooney delivered a pre-match team talk in the dressing room before United won 1-0 through teenager Marcus Rashford’s first derby goal in his eighth appearance for the club.
Carrick played in 23 Manchester derbies, winning 12, losing nine and drawing two.
City beat United 3-0 at the Etihad in September but United were unbeaten in both of last season’s league derbies, winning 2-1 at their neighbours before a goalless draw at Old Trafford.
United have not beaten City at home since January 2023.
But Carrick certainly isn’t shying away from the challenge.
He said: “The big games, the important games are what we all live for. Some games are more challenging than others. But it’s why we are here. We’ll go for it head on.”
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