- 4 hours ago
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick on the test of a Premier League clash with Crystal Palace, his coaching methods and the fitness of Mason Mount
Carrington, Manchester, UK
27/02/2026
Carrington, Manchester, UK
27/02/2026
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00:01We've asked a few times about Mason Mount and Matis De Ligt.
00:05What is the situation with them?
00:06Because Matis has not played since last time United played Palace
00:09and Mason scored against Palace, so it's kind of a shared history.
00:15Yeah, Mason's getting closer, really.
00:19He's on the grass, he's getting closer,
00:21so he's looking to train and be in and around it pretty soon.
00:26So he's getting close.
00:29He's just had to be patient, really, a little bit.
00:32He's a big player for us, Mason,
00:33so looking after him, making sure he's ready
00:36and a big finish to the season.
00:38So good news that he's getting really close.
00:42Matis, a little bit, he's had a back issue,
00:46which has just been a little bit slower to progress, really.
00:49It's something that we've been kind of working through
00:52and he's getting there, he's in the right direction,
00:56but as I said, he's just a little bit further behind.
00:58It's one of those things that's disappointing,
01:00but it's unfortunately part of football,
01:03so we're getting back when we can.
01:05Is there even a remote timescale for him?
01:07Because obviously when he was injured the first time,
01:11Ruben said, oh, well, he'd be back next week,
01:14and clearly we're months down the line now.
01:17We've got an international break coming up.
01:20No, it's just the nature of the injury and the kind of issue in the back,
01:26that it's a difficult one to kind of pin down in some ways,
01:31and especially time-wise.
01:32So he's definitely improving, so that's a good thing,
01:35and we're just working towards that, really.
01:37There's not much at this stage that I can give you any more.
01:42Afternoon, Michael.
01:43One player you'll be familiar with is Harry Maguire
01:45from your previous stint at the club.
01:47Just wonder when you've returned,
01:48what kind of player you now see ahead of you,
01:51and of course his contract situation.
01:53Do the club plan to maybe sit down with him in the near future,
01:56just about what his future could look like?
02:00Harry's an impressive character.
02:02He's obviously had a great career so far.
02:08Hopefully there's a lot more to come.
02:11I think even what he's been here and the journey
02:14and the experiences that he's had,
02:16certainly since he's been here and with England as well,
02:18I think it showed exactly what he is.
02:21I think we all know the player that he is
02:23and what he's capable of doing.
02:25Again, the other night there,
02:26I thought he was fantastic,
02:28having experience helps and that.
02:31He served to you, his attributes help and that.
02:33And his character, you know,
02:34his willingness to put himself out there.
02:38He's really impressive at age
02:40and he's been really important for us.
02:44Saw in a recent interview with your goalkeeper at Lamans,
02:47he was talking about one of the reasons
02:49why he feels there's been an upturn in form
02:50is the clarity of the messaging
02:52that's coming through to the players.
02:55Can you give us an insight into how you go about
02:56making sure that you convey to each player
02:59what it is you want from them?
03:03Yeah, I mean, you could talk for quite some time on that,
03:06you know, in terms of how we want to play,
03:09kind of what we want to do for each other
03:11and behaviours.
03:13There's all sorts of things that kind of come into it, really.
03:18But, yeah, I think I've said it at times over the last few weeks,
03:23when you're putting a team together
03:24and you're putting a team on the pitch,
03:25I think it's not always...
03:27You try to make it as clear as you can.
03:30I think clarity is important.
03:31It doesn't necessarily mean that it's simple.
03:34Sometimes there's quite a lot of detail
03:36that kind of needs to be put across,
03:38but I always try and feel that we do it
03:40in a simplistic form, really.
03:43So the players maybe think it's simple,
03:46but there's quite a lot of work behind that.
03:48So that's always the balance, I think,
03:50for any coach and manager.
03:51You're trying to...
03:52You give the players going out there
03:54that their minds are as clear as possible, really,
03:57and they know the jobs, effectively.
04:00So it's a constant balance,
04:02but the boys have been great
04:03and anything we have tried to kind of help them with,
04:06implement them, give them bits of tips,
04:08I think they've all been taking it on board ever so well.
04:13Michael, I just want you to ask about Manuel Mugate,
04:15he's yet to start a game under yourself,
04:17had limited playing time.
04:19What do you see his role at the moment?
04:20What does he need to do to get back into the side?
04:23Yeah, listen, Manuel, I like Manuel a lot.
04:26He's been terrific around the group
04:28and hugely impressed with his attitude
04:33and how he goes about it
04:35and his training qualities
04:37and he's got a lot of really good attributes, man.
04:41I think that when the team's winning,
04:45there's obviously a big upside to that
04:48and there's always, for the one or two boys
04:50that maybe haven't played so much,
04:52obviously, it makes it a little bit tougher
04:54to get in the team,
04:55but I think that creates that competition as well
04:57in a real healthy way
04:58that everyone's pushing each other
05:00and Manu's obviously desperate to get on the pitch more
05:05and he's doing everything he can in training
05:07and he's a big part of the group.
05:09So I think it's just a case of the results
05:11and the boys playing so well
05:12that there's going to be times
05:15when we might need to change things
05:16and freshen things up
05:17and then certainly he's a big part of that.
05:20Paul?
05:21Michael, just another question on Harry.
05:24How much input will you have
05:25into that decision on whether he stays or goes
05:28and in terms of his experience,
05:30I think you're going to lose,
05:31obviously you're going to lose Casimiro
05:32in the summer.
05:33That's a big lump of experience
05:35gone out of the squad.
05:36How important is it
05:37to kind of keep that level of experience
05:40that player that Harry's got
05:41in the future?
05:44Yeah, I think within the squad
05:45I think there's always that balance.
05:46You know, you certainly want
05:49that younger potential
05:50and that excitement
05:51of developing players
05:54and helping players.
05:54You need that little sweet spot
05:57in the middle, I think,
05:58where players at the peak.
05:59I think you certainly need that
06:00within the group
06:01and experience is massive.
06:03You know, it's hard to put a price on
06:07how kind of valuable that can be
06:09and whether that's individuals
06:11or that's experience as a whole group.
06:13But yeah, Harry's,
06:16as I've just said,
06:17he's gained an awful lot of experience
06:18in different ways for this club.
06:21And yeah, Castle even
06:23is another one experience
06:25and it's something we've got to
06:26obviously understand
06:28and what that means.
06:30Hi, Michael.
06:32The Champions League draw
06:33took place this morning.
06:34I'm sure you've probably got
06:34other things to do
06:35than pay too much attention
06:36to it at the moment.
06:37But does it feel strange
06:38being at this club
06:39all the time you've been here
06:40as a player?
06:41The Champions League's going on
06:42without United.
06:43It's happened fairly regularly
06:44over the last few years
06:45and into the knockout stages.
06:47Does it feel different
06:48or wrong that this club
06:50isn't competing
06:51at that end of Europe
06:51consistently enough these days?
06:53Certainly where we want to be.
06:56I don't think we can assume
06:58and just take things for granted
06:59just because the past
07:00is the past
07:01that takes care of
07:03what should happen
07:04here and now
07:04or next season.
07:06I think you've got to
07:07kind of earn that.
07:08You've got to show
07:08you're good enough
07:08and I think that's why
07:09when you have time
07:11of success
07:12or you achieve success
07:13it's warranted
07:15and to show how tough
07:16it actually is to get it.
07:17So, to be honest
07:20at the moment
07:21it's really laser-focused
07:24on what's ahead for us.
07:25There's no point in us
07:26looking elsewhere.
07:27We know where we want to be.
07:29We know what we've got to do
07:31to get there
07:31and the performance level
07:33and the games that are coming up
07:34where we want to try
07:36and get the right results.
07:37But I think looking
07:39what else is going on
07:40in and around Europe
07:40at this point
07:41is not really going to help us.
07:43But it's certainly where we want to be.
07:47Hi Michael.
07:48Just on Harry again.
07:49He's started every game
07:51since you came in.
07:52Of course, as you say
07:53he was great at Everton
07:54on Monday.
07:55You obviously hear
07:56as a first team coach
07:57when he first signed for the club
07:58you've seen him
07:59right the way through.
08:02Is he as good now
08:03as he ever has been
08:04and in some ways better
08:05in terms of the experience
08:06that he's got now?
08:09There's a case I think.
08:12I think as your career goes
08:13and just touching on it there
08:14I think when you're a young player
08:16everything's fresh
08:17and everything's new
08:18and you're kind of fearless
08:19and there's not many scars there
08:21so it's full of excitement.
08:24You get to the peak years
08:28which is where you're at
08:31and you feel good
08:31and everything's there
08:33but obviously you've had
08:35a few ups and downs
08:35along the way
08:37and I think you start getting
08:39towards the later times
08:40and the experience
08:40that you've gained
08:42then makes you a better player
08:46or should make you
08:47a better player
08:48from learning from that
08:49and I think we've seen that
08:50with Harry's performances
08:52of late really
08:52of what he's brought to the team
08:55and he's been so important
08:57as well as many others
08:59so I think that's why
09:00an experience is important
09:02to use it.
09:03I certainly felt it
09:03when I was playing that
09:04but it was 30, 31, 32
09:07that probably was my best years
09:10really of just being
09:11at that sweet spot
09:12of being able to do it
09:13physically still
09:15but using the kind of experiences
09:18to know what's coming
09:20and probably seeing
09:22a bit of everything
09:23by that stage
09:24so it's not a surprise.
09:25Andrew?
09:26Hi Michael.
09:27What's your thought process
09:29in choosing the same
09:30or very similar team
09:32week after week?
09:32Is it because you're winning
09:34is it because there's not
09:36as many games
09:36as you would hope for
09:37with the team being in Europe?
09:39Does that present difficulties
09:40with the players
09:41who are not getting in?
09:43How are you managing this?
09:45Yeah, it's definitely
09:46something we're aware of.
09:47I think it's when
09:48you know we've had
09:50well we've just had
09:51quite a big break
09:52before the last game
09:56and you know
09:57when there's a lot more games
09:58I think in terms of squad
09:59and being
10:02rotations
10:02or having to change things
10:05for physical reasons
10:06or game to game
10:07I think that comes into play.
10:08It's the challenge
10:09of managing the group
10:13because I guess
10:14listen there's huge positives
10:16to it
10:16and you know
10:17the results we've had
10:18and playing well
10:19winning games
10:20mostly
10:21I think that's
10:22the huge positive
10:22but there's certainly
10:24a big awareness
10:25from me and the staff
10:26of how important
10:27everybody is in the group
10:29and it's something
10:30that we do have to manage
10:32you know
10:32so there's a balance to it
10:34but there's definitely
10:35a big positive
10:36to the fact that
10:37we're in a good
10:39run of form
10:39and even though
10:41sometimes it's the same
10:42players on the pitch
10:42I think game to game
10:43we've changed things
10:45we've tweaked things
10:45some of the front players
10:46have played in different positions
10:50Luke for instance
10:51played in different roles
10:52when we're in possession
10:54so it doesn't necessarily mean
10:55it's copy and paste
10:57and we go again
10:58but there's certainly
10:59a feeling of
11:00trying to keep them
11:01as best as we can
11:03as well
11:04Hi Michael
11:05Can I ask about Ben
11:07there's been quite a few calls
11:09for him to start
11:09after his goal scoring record
11:11off the bench
11:11but is there an argument
11:12for why break up
11:14a winning formula
11:14when can you leave a player
11:17of his ability
11:17on the bench
11:18in like a Solskjaer role
11:19like a super sub
11:21and what does it say
11:22about the character
11:23that he is
11:23that he can come on
11:24and make as much
11:26an impact as he has
11:28I just think
11:29the whole thing
11:29is a real positive
11:30to be honest
11:31I think
11:31it's certainly not
11:34a decision
11:35that is a one
11:38that I look to
11:39in a negative way
11:40or anything like that
11:41as I said
11:42we're playing well
11:43as a team
11:44we've been winning games
11:45and I'm still not
11:46getting carried away
11:47and thinking
11:47that just carries on
11:48but certainly
11:49within the group
11:50and the forward players
11:51have scored a good number
11:52of goals so far
11:53and Ben's been
11:55so good
11:56in so many ways
11:57for us
11:58and it's really
12:00not a drama
12:01believe it or not
12:02for how people see it
12:05it's not a drama
12:06and I think
12:06it just shows
12:07the qualities Ben's got
12:08for what he's produced
12:08over the last few weeks
12:09and if and when he starts
12:11the next game
12:12or the one after
12:13I think it's
12:15it is what it is
12:16but he's doing
12:17so many good things
12:18as well as the team
12:19it's a good position
12:21for us to be in
12:23Catherine
12:25Hi Michael
12:29Sorry
12:30your fun three
12:33in the
12:34sorry
12:34in the false nine system
12:35hasn't paid off
12:36against Everton
12:37and West Ham
12:38in recent weeks
12:40is that going to
12:41prompt a change
12:41this week
12:42for Seshko to come in
12:43and why is that
12:44why hasn't it been
12:45as successful
12:46against teams
12:47like West Ham
12:48and Everton
12:49I don't think
12:50we've played
12:51a false nine
12:51to be honest
12:52I think Brian's
12:52played up high
12:53on the last line
12:54for a lot of the time
12:55so it's just
12:56as I've just said
12:57there
12:57I think we've played
13:00similar players
13:01but we've played
13:01in different ways
13:04four points
13:05from two games
13:06is not far the way
13:07from home
13:07so it's not
13:08it's not so bad
13:09and having
13:10being able
13:11to change it
13:12from the bench
13:13and make things
13:15a little bit different
13:15towards the end of games
13:16is a real strength
13:17so I'm pretty
13:19happy the way
13:20things are going
13:20good for you
13:20as well
13:20as well
13:20as well
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