Ahead of Manchester United's away fixture against Fulham in the 5th round of the Premier League, manager Carrick spoke to the official club media.

Michael, it's been a difficult week. How have you and your coaching staff managed to stay calm and focused on the task at hand ahead of this weekend's away trip to Fulham?

Yes, we've certainly managed it. Based purely on results, it hasn't been an ideal week, but that's inevitable. You always have these moments, and I think when you're building something, there will always be moments when things don't go exactly as planned. I think every successful team goes through these periods in their journey – they all experience a week or two that aren't perfect. Right now, we're in one of those brief dips. In a way, I was waiting for this moment. We've had a great run of form since January, but there will always come a stage when problems arise, and we use it to understand ourselves better, understand the players, the collective, the entire squad. We'll definitely come out of it stronger. So from a certain perspective – yes, as I said, I was waiting for this moment, and now it's here, and we need to push hard and play better.

One positive from Wednesday's match was seeing Shea Lacey score on his first start – it was truly wonderful. A big moment for him.

It was absolutely fantastic. For Shea, his family, and everyone at the academy, for everyone connected with the academy. Witnessing Shea's journey, seeing him take to Old Trafford and showcase what he does best, was incredibly rewarding. I've seen him do that countless times on the training ground; it's his signature move – cutting into that space, shifting onto his left foot, and then cutting inside. I'm really pleased for him. Of course, the way the match unfolded, the closing stages, and the final result somewhat diminished the joy. But once the dust settles and he can look back, I think he can be incredibly proud of himself, because it was a significant moment for him.

With academy matches tonight and tomorrow morning, how much motivation do moments like these provide for our young players?

Exactly, that's it. Such moments crop up constantly, and as everyone knows, this club's history is filled with countless stories like this. That's the beauty of football, and what makes it so wonderful. It's why so many people at the academy work so hard, and it's the foundation of this club. Shea had his moment – or rather, his time in the spotlight – and now it's about who can seize the next opportunity, because we're always eager for the next star to emerge.

Moving to this weekend's match against Fulham, you'll face Álvaro Arbeloa. You played against him during your time as a player when he was at Liverpool. Do you have many memories of him?

Yes, I obviously played against him, but aside from those big, crucial matches, I don't have particularly specific memories. Obviously, he gained experience as a coach at Real Madrid last season and then came here. Fulham played exceptionally well in their last match, which happened to be against Liverpool, so we're going away and are prepared for another difficult fixture.

It will indeed be a difficult match, and this away game won't be easy. However, our head-to-head record is very good. So what are your expectations for his team?

Yes, they have some very, very good players, particularly several highly threatening attacking players. I think they play very attractive football on the pitch, and they're extremely well organized, very compact, not leaving much space for opponents and rarely conceding chances. So I must admit, they're a very good team overall, and they should have more points than they currently do.

What's the current squad status for the trip?

Well, our squad situation is good. Everyone has recovered, and nearly everyone has had playing time and is fit as of this past week. We're working on getting Carlos back – "back" isn't quite accurate, it's more about integrating him into the team. He's had some training sessions this week, and we're hoping Luke will also be back in the squad this week. We're looking forward to a high-quality match this weekend.

Yes, we've seen some great footage of Carlos Baleba training on MUTV and the official app, and he looks in great shape. How determined is he to get involved and show what he can do for this club?

Yes, he's absolutely desperate to get on the pitch. He's full of energy and motivation. I think it's often not easy when you arrive at a new club but can't fully train with the team due to your fitness level. But I must say, he's handled it incredibly well. He has a fantastic personality, is always full of enthusiasm, and has worked tirelessly to get back as quickly as possible. So it's really great to have him back.

Finally, how important is it to see the team respond positively this weekend and head into the next international break on the back of a good result?

Yes, of course, we definitely want a positive result to build good momentum heading into the next phase. As you know, we haven't won as many matches recently as we'd like, but it's a long season, and we want to regain that strong momentum and move in the right direction. The next opportunity is Sunday, and after that, almost all the lads – or most of the players – will be away on international duty for several weeks. But regardless, a good result on Sunday would certainly be fantastic.

Traduzido por IA.

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