Michael Carrick enjoying injury-free spell for Manchester United
Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick has said he is glad to be improving and injury-free, admitting that he should have had surgery on his Achilles sooner than he did.
In September, Carrick returned to the club from the international break having aggravated his Achilles problems while training ahead of England's Euro 2012 qualifiers against Bulgaria and Switzerland.
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson decided Carrick should have surgery to treat the injury, which had been troubling him since the start of the league season.
"I should have got something done about my Achilles sooner because I was carrying it for a while," Carrick told the club's official website.
Since the surgery, the midfielder has started all of the team's last six games, in which United are unbeaten with five wins.
"It is easier to say that now I have got rid of it because I feel great. But it is probably only how I feel now that I realise how bad it was. I feel good now and am happy with my game."
Unaffected by outside criticism
Carrick also took the time to address some of the criticism that was leveled at him after last season, during which he picked up the first red card of his career away to AC Milan in the Champions League.
"I didn't think I had to answer any critics," the 29-year-old said about rumours linking him with a move away from Old Trafford this summer. "The only opinions that count are those of the manager and the staff. You just have to brush aside the rest of it
and believe in yourself. I know when I am not playing well. I wasn't hitting my best form so I couldn't argue about the teams the manager was picking."
United host Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Saturday, 6 November.
Tags: