Michael Carrick is pleased to have avoided English
opposition in the Champions League quarter-finals, but is still
expecting a tough test against FC Porto.
The Reds entertain the Dragons, and current leaders of
the Portuguese league, at Old Trafford on Tuesday 7
April, before travelling to Portugal on Wednesday 15 April.
For the fifth season running Liverpool will take on Chelsea with
the winners facing either Barcelona or Bayern Munich,
while Arsenal or Villarreal await the victors of United
against Porto.
Carrick was pleasantly surprised by the draw after feeling a
British match-up was on the cards for the defending
champions.
"There was always going to be a chance that the English teams would
play each other and I think we thought it was our turn," he told
ManUtd.com.
"It’s tough to play another English side because you know each
other so well and that’s been proved in the past when Liverpool
have played Chelsea. They’ve got each other again and in recent
years the games have been tight and tough games.
"When you play in European competitions it’s nice to play a team
from another country and in that respect we’re happy with the
draw.
"It’s only a good draw if we get through so we’ll have to wait and
see what happens. But we’re feeling upbeat about it."