Every word Carrick said before Liverpool

While there's lots of attention on the title race and relegation battle this weekend, our clash with the Merseysiders still occupies the prime Sunday spot and will be watched by millions worldwide.

Carrick, who experienced the fixture 23 times as a player, and then again as a coach, believes it will always be the centre of attention, due to the importance placed on it by supporters and the size of the two clubs.

He also spoke about Kobbie Mainoo's new contract, Casemiro's form and, as usual, the team news in his Friday press conference.

Read, and watch, in full below...

Hi Michael. Team news, if we can start. Matheus Cunha, Luke Shaw and [Matthias] de Ligt – are there any other people we need to be wary of?
“No, in good shape really. Matheus has done a little bit of work, so we’re hopeful. We’re not sure but we’re hopeful. Obviously, Matta is still a little bit further. He’s not involved in the game, but, other than that, we’re in good shape.”

Obviously yesterday, the club announced Kobbie Mainoo has signed a new deal until 2031. How big a boost is that to the club? I saw Jason Wilcox described him as one of the most naturally gifted young footballers in the world. What’s your take on it?
“I’ve been hugely impressed with Kobbie since I’ve been here. I think I’ve known him for quite some time in different capacities, but I’ve certainly been aware of him for a long time. He epitomises this football club, you know? Young players coming through the Academy, who live and breathe the club and come through with real talent. He’s shown what he’s doing, I think the last couple of games in particular he’s been fantastic. The natural thing and the evolution is to sign a new contract and everyone’s over the moon with that, including me, because I think he deserves it.”

Michael, when we spoke to you about Leeds, you said you hadn’t played a lot against them. Clearly you played a lot against Liverpool. Would you still regard it as the biggest game for Manchester United, no matter where the clubs are in the league?
“It’s certainly one of my favourite games, yeah, without a doubt. It’s a standout game, there’s big games and big rivalries that we have with other teams. Certainly, this one is right up there and the history and the ups and downs that the past has produced in these types of games, the excitement, the entertainment and the emotion – which is a huge part of it - make it a really special game.”

If you think about the games, what do you think of first?
“I think it’s just that edge and that competition really. Irrespective of league positions over the years and who’s been on top at certain times or whatever, it’s never really changed the feeling of the game and the emotion of the supporters. It’s about really appreciating what it means to the supporters. We have to do that and it’s just a special game to be part of and obviously to come out on top is one of the best feelings you’ll get.”

To go back to Kobbie, he hadn’t started a Premier League game until you returned. What was it like to talk to him when you first came back, as I imagine he probably wasn’t filled with confidence having not played a lot of football?
“Like all the players, I think, trying to get that relationship and understanding, building relationships. Certainly understanding what it had looked like for Kobbie over the last two or three years, the ups and the downs and the big highs and some challenging times. Letting him thrive, just giving him that platform to go and be himself. He’s evolved, he’s improving all the time. I think you can see that, with more confidence, more responsibility, more belief. He keeps adding to his game and he’s certainly done that. So just giving him that platform and that opportunity to go and be the best version. As I just said, he’s done fantastic and there’s loads more to come. I keep saying that because he’s just a young man. He’s in a great spot at the moment.”

Michael, you said there’s loads more to come. By the end of this contract, he’ll be mid-20s, what do you think he could achieve here in that time?
“Hopefully, he’s here for a long time and he’s part of successful teams that win things, win trophies. That has to be the aim. It’s not going to be easy, it’s not going to be straightforward but that’s the challenge. That’s got to be the aim of Kobbie, to be the best version of himself and keep pushing, keep improving. Certainly to have the platform of a team and the football club in a good place to keep pushing forward and we want to be competing for the biggest of trophies. We’ve done it in the past and we need to do it again.”

You’ve had a very settled team since you’ve come back and the schedule has helped with that. Do you think the squad is deep enough and big enough to compete on maybe four fronts next year, with 60 games rather than 40?
“It’s certainly a different challenge to what we’ve had over the last three or four months. It’s a natural one, it’s where we want to be. It’s a real positive, if that is the case, if we get in the position we need to be in the league to have to do that. It’s obviously evolving all the time. We’re always trying to improve and be stronger, whether that’s quality, whether that’s depth, or the make-up of the squad, the balance of the squad, the balance of the team. We’re constantly pushing to move forward really.”

You played central midfield for this club until you were 36, 37, Casemiro is now 33, 34 – what’s the key to doing it as you get a little bit older? Do you give him advice or do you not need to do, as he’s quite an accomplished player?
“It’s quite interesting in terms of how much you give certain players. Even younger players, sometimes you think you need to give them and help them a lot, other times it’s a little bit like the Kobbie scenario, knowing when to come off and let them develop and let them thrive. There’s a little bit certain players want more than others, then there’s the stage with a lot of experience, crossing the 30-mark and you’re in them stages, players are a lot of the time a little bit of what they are. You trust them to know themselves, and speaking to them on a level really where there’s an understanding, really. Certainly with Case, that’s been the case of knowing what he’s good at, what he can bring to the team and try to play to his strengths and having a real trust in his experience and the level that he has. To play for so long at such a level it takes a lot of sacrifice, a lot of work. It’s not easy. I think that’s something I was personally proud of, of sustaining it for a prolonged period of time. Certain players have different types of careers, there’s big spikes and big dips, some players are a bit more steady but to do what he’s done over such a long period of time takes a lot of time and a lot of credit for him for doing what he has.”

You said Liverpool are United’s big game irrespective of league position but this year there’s the chance to finish ahead of them, whereas, last year, there was a big difference. What would it mean this year if you can?
“I think it shows the big improvement as a group really, and getting stronger. To be coming into this game in such a good position, on the back of good results and trying to achieve, moving forward. I’m fully aware of the situation in the league and how close it is between us, but that’s not something we’re really focused on going into this game. I think it’s a one-off game, they’ve got terrific players, they’re a good team and they won the league last year. We obviously respect everything that goes into the game. We’re treating it as that: as a one-off game. The league position is what it is, but Sunday is a whole different ball game.”

What does it say about the respective standings and the enduring global appeal of both clubs that this is still the standout game around the world?
“First of all, it’s a real privilege for us all to be involved in it, whatever capacity. I think that’s the beauty of football though, in the end. We all get wound up in different ways about what’s going on week to week, from club to club and the ups and downs but talking about individuals sustaining a career, to sustain a level of performance over a period of time for each football club… I think there’s a way of how you do it as well, what the standards look like and how it means, what are the behaviours and what you stand for as a football club. It’s two incredible football clubs. To be so close together in so many ways, in terms of titles, geography – it’s not far away. To have such an impact over such a period of time is quite special and I think we all appreciate that.”