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CARRICK HAPPY WITH SEASON
England midfielder Michael Carrick is hoping Manchester United put the icing on the cake by winning Saturday’s FA Cup final against Chelsea at the new Wembley.
25-year-old Carrick, who came to Old Trafford from Tottenham Hotspur for £18m last summer, recently picked his first Premiership winners medal and was over the moon.
"It's just a dream come true winning the Premiership," he told Manchester Evening News.
"Growing up I had always seen teams celebrating and often wondered what it would be like to be a part of it. Now I have realised the dream. But once you have had a taste of it you want more. I will definitely enjoy this title win but I am not satisfied. I can see now how the lads here at Old Trafford get their hunger. I can understand more now how it has driven them on.
"Ryan Giggs winning it nine times is incredible. To keep that desire and determination to keep winning is fantastic. Not everyone can do that. But I see now how experiencing this once makes you want it again and again. Once you get one, you look for more. The Cup Final will only be the icing on the cake for this season if we win it.
"We aren't celebrating the league win too hard. We had a quiet meal on Sunday night and soaked it up and we were back in training yesterday ready for a big week. If we win on Saturday we can celebrate all we like. But it is a big job to do against Chelsea."
"I am very happy with my first season. I have played over 50 games, got to the semi-final of the Champions League, won the league and have got to the FA Cup final. It is something special. The Champions League turned out a disappointment in the end but we have shown what we can do and hopefully we will come back next season and do even more. I had no concerns whatsoever when I joined United last summer because I was coming to the biggest club in the land. Playing with the players I was playing with was an experience in itself so I just wanted to make the most of it and improve as a player.
"I think as the season has gone on I have got better and better. That's all you can hope for. Winning games the way we have and playing the football we have has been so enjoyable. It has been my best season by far. I didn't set out looking at a certain number of games I just wanted to play. I just wanted to get into the team to start with and establish myself as much as I could. The longer the season goes the more you realise you are part of the team.
"Playing with the kind of players I have had alongside me and playing the football we have done, makes you play better and makes you more confident. I think my consistency has improved; I am a relaxed and laid back player so initially I wasn't going to come in and be in your face. I was just trying to fit in and find my space in the team and get to know the lads' games. The longer that went on the more I gelled. I think Scholesy and me formed a good partnership and we complement each other.
"The longer the season went on the more influence I have had. I started to take on more responsibility as I bedded in and felt comfortable. I enjoyed that. The bigger the games you have to step up and thankfully in the big games I played pretty well."
We suggest you email Michael to let him know what you think - contacttheplayers.com
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