Michael Carrick is “delighted” that Manchester United showed “character and fight” to end their three-game winless run on Tuesday night versus Villarreal.
This was Carrick’s first game in charge of Man Utd. He is the temporary replacement for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who was sacked on Sunday.
Villarreal were the better side in the first half as David De Gea made a couple of good saves to keep the game level.
F365 says: Sancho arrives as Carrick plans for Man Utd
Man Utd were more on the front foot as the tie wore on and they took the lead with around ten minutes to go.
Fred pressed high up the pitch as he dispossessed ex-Tottenham midfielder Etienne Capoue. Cristiano Ronaldo collected the ball and he dipped Villarreal’s Geronimo Rulli to make it 1-0.
The result was put beyond doubt in the second half as Jadon Sancho scored his first goal for Manchester United. The Englishman struck his effort sweetly as the ball nestled in the roof of the net.
This 2-0 victory sends United through to the knockout stages of the Champions League.
As reported by PA, Carrick said post-match that Man Utd had to “dig in at times” against Villarreal:
“We were ready for it tonight.
“They are a good team who make you work in possession.
“The boys had to dig in at times and showed a little bit of everything, so I was delighted with the way it ended.
“When you have suffered results-wise and are not in good form, individually and as a team, it is not easy to come out and just let everything click.
“In some ways it was the best way to win for me, that we had to show some character and fight.
“I have really enjoyed it, the whole thing, the support I have had.
“It has not been an easy couple of days for anyone at the club and that result almost feels like it is for Ole, I can’t get away from that.
“We had a job to do and things needed to be taken care of. I was happy to do it and thankfully it all went to plan in the end.”