Manchester United interim manager Michael Carrick has cautioned his team against excessive celebration over securing a Champions League spot, following a 2-1 victory against Brentford that brought the club to the verge of returning to Europe’s elite competition.
United need just two more points from their remaining four matches to mathematically guarantee a place in next season's Champions League, having been absent from the tournament since the 2023-2024 campaign. However, Carrick insists he will not allow complacency to set in once the objective is achieved.
“We’ve given ourselves a great chance, we’ve put ourselves in a big position,” Carrick said. “It’s a tough league, it’s tough to get wins. You can see that throughout the league. To get the amount of wins we’ve had… I think the lads have got to take a bit of credit for that.”
Champions League not the ultimate goal
“The Champions League is one thing, but it’s not something that we should be over-celebrating either,” he added. “We want to be finishing high up the league really and we want to be challenging high up in the league and trying to get more points so our season doesn’t get to a close when that happens.”
United’s goals against Brentford came from Casemiro and Benjamin Sesko. The Brazilian midfielder netted his ninth goal of the season, prompting supporters at Old Trafford to chant “one more year” in his direction. However, Carrick made it clear that there is no chance of a reversal regarding Casemiro’s decision to leave the club at the end of the season.
Casemiro’s departure confirmed
“It’s pretty clear,” Carrick stated. “From both sides it’s pretty clear. Probably the situation and the clarity of it has helped everything. It means a lot to him and credit to him because of the situation that it is, he’s given absolutely everything as well and had some big moments for us.”
The interim manager praised the team’s resilience and focus, emphasizing that the ultimate aim is to consistently challenge at the top of the Premier League table rather than simply securing Champions League qualification. With four games remaining, United are in a strong position to achieve their immediate target, but Carrick remains determined to push for more.
