Carrick's wounded pride

"We can be proud of what we’ve achieved in the last two years, but (this defeat) is hard to take."

- Michael Carrick

Michael Carrick insists United can feel proud after blazing a two-year trail through Europe - but admits the untimely end of that run is a bitter pill to swallow.

The Reds' 2-0 reverse to Barcelona in Rome was the club's first defeat in the Champions League since the semi-final of 2007, when Carrick was coming to the end of his first campaign at Old Trafford. He's since lifted the famous trophy of course and was 90 minutes away from doing it again when he kicked off with his comrades at Stadio Olimpico.

"We had high expectations of wanting to play well and to win but it didn’t work out for us on the night," Michael told MUTV.

“We started very well and made chances and if we’d scored one then maybe it would have been a different game. After that, things didn’t go right for us really. We still had opportunities to score but we just didn’t take them.

“Credit to Barcelona though – they’re a good team with good players and they deserved to win tonight. We can’t argue about that."

“We had gone unbeaten in this competition for two years and sadly it’s come to an end on the wrong night. I think we can be proud of what we’ve achieved in the last couple of years, but it’s hard to take.

“However, the club moves on, we have to move on and come back stronger next season. We’ve got to defend the Premier League title and go again in this competition.

"That’s what we’re here for.”

Carrick: We can do it again

Things couldn't have gone much better for Michael Carrick since joining United in the summer of 2006.

He has developed into one of the finest midfielders in the country and become an integral part of Sir Alex's trophy-winning Red machine, he's the proud owner of three Barclays Premier League titles, as well as Champions League and Club World Cup winners' medals.

And ahead of European football's showpiece final meeting with Barcelona on Wednesday, the 27-year-old tells ManUtd.com he's determined to further boost his and United's trophy haul...

In your opinion is this a final between the two best teams in world football?
Yes, probably. The fact we’ve both won our respective leagues certainly puts us up there as the best two sides in Europe. It’s going to be a huge game and it’s one we’re all looking forward to.

What kind of match are you expecting?
I’m not sure. We thought it would be very open and attacking when we played them last season and in the end there was only one goal over two legs. They can score and create chances at any time, but we believe we can defend well and attack them. There could be a bagful of goals or just one could be the difference - anything could happen, but that’s what makes it such an interesting game.

People talk about the threat of Messi, but the manager has highlighted the dangers posed by Iniesta…
He’s definitely a big player for them. He’s had a great season and scored a few goals, none more important than the one against Chelsea in the semi-final which put them through to the final. I know he’s had a bit of an injury recently, but I’m sure he’ll be fit for Rome and it’ll be a big test to play against him because he’s a really top player.

United can make history by becoming the first side to retain the trophy – is that something you think about as players?
It’s a strange one really because you try not to think about things too much, but at the back of your mind you know how special it could be if we could do it. We’re determined to repeat the feeling we had last season, it was something I’d never experienced before in my life and it really was an unbelievable feeling. To do that again would be incredible.

How big a boost is it to be going into the final as champions of England?
It’s a great boost. Just knowing that you’ve been consistent over a long period of time and have been good enough to finish on top of the pile gives you a lot of belief. We’ve hit good form at the right time and it’s important to reproduce that form on Wednesday.

Darren Fletcher obviously misss the game through suspension – how much do the players want to win it for him?
We’d love to. We’re all still devastated for Fletch, but hopefully we can win it and go some way to making him a bit happier about the situation.

Carrick eyes perfect end

"I think three of my goals this season have been scored with my left foot.

"I was just concentrating on hitting the target and once I saw it was going in, I was off to celebrate it. I nearly broke Wazza’s neck with the celebration but he’s all right now."

- Michael Carrick

Michael Carrick's first away goal for United means the Reds are more likely to win the title at home this Saturday.

The midfielder's stunning 86th-minute strike at the JJB Stadium turned a battling draw with Wigan into a hard-fought victory and reduced the league points required in the remaining two games - at home to Arsenal, then Hull away - to just one.

"It was a massive three points for us tonight," Carrick told MUTV.

"Obviously it now looks good for us. I think it's only been done once before, winning the title at home, so it would be great if we can do it again. But we’re not getting carried away, we’ve got to respect Arsenal for how good they are. We know we’ve still got a job to do."

It was job done at Wigan thanks to two Carrick shots - one turned in by Carlos Tevez and the other that flew direct past Wigan goalkeeper Richard Kingson into the top left-hand corner.

"it was an up and down night in front of goal for me but we won the game and I’m delighted with that," said Carrick.

"My goal made up for the chance I missed in the first half really. I was just concentrating on hitting the target and once I saw it was