Source: SKY_Sports
Carrick issues United warning
Michael Carrick believes that Manchester United's recent indifferent form is now behind them after their 1-0 win in Porto.
The UEFA Champions League quarter-final second-leg victory at the Estadio do Dragao was the first time in three matches that the team have kept a clean sheet.
The win also signalled the first time an English side had beaten the Portuguese champions on home soil thanks to a wonder strike from Cristiano Ronaldo.
The 27-year-old believes that Wednesday's impressive result highlights that the Red Devils have now firmly put their shaky form of the last few weeks behind them.
"When you have a couple of bad results people start questioning you," he
said.
"But we have always known what we are capable of and last night we got back to what we do best.
"We defended well as a team and looked really solid. All of a sudden everything looks great again."
The semi-final showdown with the Gunners will be the first two-legged all-English tie in the club's European history, but Carrick insists that this will not affect the outcome of the clash.
"Obviously we know each other inside out," he added.
"Sometimes in those circumstances, you can have quite a cagey affair, on the other occasions it can open up, as it did at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.
"I am sure they will be great matches for the neutral to watch but hopefully we will come out on top."
United's result in Portugal on Wednesday means the club are just two semi-final victories away from playing in every possible fixture this season after their Carling Cup and Fifa World Club Cup success earlier in the campaign.
"It's relentless," the England international revealed.
"We are on course to play the most number of games we could possibly play in one season. That is the aim.
"There is a game every three or four days now and they are all going to mean so much.
"That is what you want. It is great to be part of it. We are in a good position. Fingers crossed we will succeed."
Sir Alex Ferguson's men face Everton in the last four of the FA Cup on Sunday at Wembley and Carrick is already anticipating a difficult encounter.
"It will be a tough game," he explained.
"Everton have improved an awful lot as the season has gone on. They have had injuries, especially at centre-forward and proved they can cope."
