Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has praised his players after they fought back from a two-goal deficit to secure a dramatic Champions League victory over Roma at Old Trafford on Tuesday night.
The Red Devils had entered the encounter after failing to win their previous nine matches in all competitions.
Roma took a two-goal lead, but Bruno Fernandes pulled one back with a retaken penalty before Matheus Cunha scored twice to complete United’s comeback.
Speaking to UEFA after the match, Carrick described the encounter as challenging and acknowledged that his team had struggled with nerves during the opening stages.
“It was a challenging game,” he said.
Carrick admitted that United started reasonably well but conceded that Roma’s opening goal affected his players.
He also praised the Italian side, noting that they had suffered only one defeat throughout the season and were a very strong opponent.
Carrick Reveals Half-Time Message to Players
The United manager said his team gradually improved towards the end of the first half before he encouraged the players to remain positive during the interval.
Carrick reminded them that a comeback was possible at Old Trafford and urged them to keep believing in their ability to turn the result around.
“I spoke at half-time about being positive. Anything can happen here; I’ve seen it many times over the years,” he said.
He added that United needed something to go their way and praised the players for their response after the break.
Carrick Hails United Players After Roma Comeback
Carrick said the players showed determination and refused to become discouraged despite falling behind.
According to him, their second-half performance reflected the commitment needed to complete the comeback.
“They kept going, didn’t get disappointed, and got exactly what they deserved in the end,” he said.
The victory provided a significant boost for Manchester United after their difficult run of results, with Carrick praising the team’s persistence in overcoming Roma.
