Carrick: United targeting Christmas number one

For most of us December smells like mince pies and mulled wine, but Michael Carrick is adamant this is the year the sweet scent of success will return to Manchester United living rooms.

Last term, the Red Devils were an astonishing nine points behind eventual champions Leicester City on December 25 – having also been 10 and eight points behind the two seasons previous.

By contrast, in Sir Alex Ferguson’s last season at the helm at Old Trafford, United were four points clear at the top as they tucked into their Christmas Day turkey before they went on to claim their most recent league title.

And Carrick – one of only seven current members of the first-team that remain from that squad at a much changed Manchester United – insists that after picking up the first silverware on offer this season on Sunday, his side’s first priority must be to make sure they are in the mix come the festive season.

“[Winning the Community Shield] has given us a good start and a positive feeling around the place to be confident going into the first games of the season and beyond,” he said.

“It’s always exciting and always a feeling of what’s going to happen looking forward, not just this week and next week but towards the end of the season when we’re looking to be challenging for trophies; fighting on all fronts is what we need to be doing.

“We’re focused on that end goal. We want to put ourselves in the position in the coming months to really challenge – getting that feeling back and smelling that success come Christmas time.

“You can’t beat that feeling that something special is around the corner and we need to get to that point.”