Michael Carrick felt the Reds’ early goals from Ji-sung Park and
Cristiano Ronaldo killed Arsenal’s hopes of staging a Champions
League comeback at the Emirates Stadium.
Already a goal ahead through John O’Shea’s first-leg strike,
United were essentially out of sight inside 11 minutes of the
decisive second encounter, and Carrick admits Sir Alex Ferguson’s
side were never going to sit on their original lead.
“We were well aware coming here that we didn’t want to sit back
and defend for the game,” Carrick told MUTV.
“The game was on too much of a knife-edge for that, and to score
early as we did put us well in control of the game. It was a great
start for us.
“Every goal was a big one in its own right. One of their
defenders slipped for the first goal but it was a great finish from
Ji, and Ronny’s strike was incredible. The third goal was a classic
counter-attack, something we were set up well to do and it was
brilliant to see it go in. After that we could see the game out
quite comfortably. We were well in control.”
The manner with which the Reds picked off Arsene Wenger’s
inexperienced Gunners side demonstrated the European pedigree honed
in recent seasons, and Carrick was delighted to see so many United
players on song.
“In the big games you want everyone to be on top form and
thankfully everything came together really well,” he said. “We
defended brilliantly, we were solid, we attacked well as well. So
it’s nice when it comes together on the big occasion.”