Carrick: I had a good feeling about today

A calming influence on his troops, our head coach oversaw a superb second-half display, following a goalless opening 45 minutes in the clash between the third and fourth-placed teams in the Premier League.

Casemiro headed the opener and, although Ross Barkley levelled, Matheus Cunha beat Emiliano Martinez to restore the lead, with Bruno Fernandes claiming his second assist of the contest, and hits 100th, in all competitions, since joining United from Sporting.

Benjamin Sesko, on as a substitute, bagged a third, to allow some breathing space as we opened up a three-point gap over the Midlanders.

See what the boss had to say to MUTV and Sky Sports afterwards...

THE RIGHT RESPONSE

"It feels good. We did a lot of things that we're really happy with. We knew it was a big game coming into it, to get back to winning ways and the boys responded really well [to the Newcastle United defeat]."

FOCUSED AND CONFIDENT

"It was an important game, for sure. Going into the match, we've never been in that situation, with a defeat coming into the game, so it could go either way, and it makes such a difference really. But the boys have dealt with all of that really well, they have done all week. So I had a good feeling about today. We were in a really good place going into the game, focused but confident. It showed and I thought, as a team, we played really well today and got what we deserved."

SECOND-HALF SHOW

"I was quite happy at half-time, to be honest. I thought it was just a tight game. I was not expecting it to be an edge-of-your-seat, all-guns-blazing performance. In the second half, we had the players to make the difference. There was only a little spell before they scored where we lost their shape a bit."

THE OPENING GOAL

"Casemiro and Bruno have a good understanding. Some of it you can coach but, other times you leave it to them to find a moment and a bit of space. Jonny [Evans] has done a lot of work with them on set-pieces but the partnership they have is kind of obvious."

BRUNO'S STATS

"He's done it for quite some time and really put himself in a position where he can make the difference. The numbers are all good, and he gets the plaudits in terms of chasing assists but, for me, it's more about the squad and I don't mind whoever scores, as long as we're winning. It shows the impact he's had and he was important for us today. He's had so many big moments, to score a goal, to make a pass. Training or games, he's always there. The pass to Matheus was fantastic to cap off a good performance all round." 

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

"We're in a decent spot, to be able to come here with confidence and belief, and to understand we've had some good results here. The supporters can come and enjoy it and go home happy, that's the ideal scenario. I want this place to be hard to play at and the boys are doing really well. We want to carry on with that."

FEELING THE ENERGY

"I have to say I was stood and had a little moment before kick-off. The noise, the amount of flags, the energy in the stadium, you could feel it. And it rubs off, there's no two ways about it. It rubs off and gives you goosebumps and the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, all those kinds of things. It was definitely there today. It's a special place, I've said it before, a magical place and it does some special things. Today, it was a really good moment and it carried all the way through."