Carrick on Fernandes’ brilliance and the race for top four | OneFootball

Michael Carrick was full of praise for Bruno Fernandes after the midfielder provided two assists in Manchester United’s win over Aston Villa.

The win takes the Manchester side above Villa into third place in the Premier League thanks to goals from Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko and Casemiro.

Fernandes’ two assists takes him to 16 for the season, just four off of the record for the most in one season that is shared by Thierry Henry and Kevin de Bruyne.

“We’re delighted to have him,” Carrick explained. “He’s proven over a period of time how impactful he is in the big moments. He’s there all the time, he puts himself forward in training and games.

“You can always count on him to be there. It’s a really good trait to have. He’s been through ups and downs here but it’s never knocked him. He was there today to make the difference.”

Having moved into third place, and won against Champions League rivals Aston Villa, United have put themselves in a good spot to qualify for next seasons UCL.

“We can enjoy winning,” Carrick added. “It’s a good feeling and something we want to keep getting used to. We are keeping a lid on it and understanding where we are and what it takes to win games like today. We are in a good position at the moment but still a lot to play for.”

After Ross Barkley’s second-half equaliser, the match could have gone either way, but Cunha and Sesko made sure the three points went to Manchester. Carrick reflected on his side’s performance.

“I was pretty happy with a lot of things,” he said. “We looked a good team. Credit to them, they had a couple of spells in the game but for the most part we were dangerous. It was a big game coming off the defeat. The boys reacted incredibly well.”

“Two good teams. It’s not always going to be all guns blazing, edge-of-your-seat stuff. We were in a good place at half-time and wanted a little bit more. We knew we were capable of it and the boys were fantastic to finish it off.”