Manchester United will bid to complete a Premier League double over Liverpool on Sunday for the first time in a decade since Michael Carrick turned up in the away end at Anfield.
Carrick celebrated Wayne Rooney’s winner with the United fans as Louis van Gaal’s side clinched home and away victories over their arch rivals in the 2015-16 season.
‘I’d have rather been on the pitch at that point, but I was injured,’ said Carrick, who is hoping to beat Liverpool at Old Trafford after United won 2-1 at Anfield under Ruben Amorim in October.
‘We took the opportunity to go. We’ve done it a number of times to go into the away end and sample it, and be that connected to it to understand it.
‘When Wayne scored, there was a bit of celebrating going on. You kind of lose yourself for a moment or two. So, yeah, really good memories of it.
‘It’s been a while since we did that. Hopefully we can produce another good result on Sunday.’
Michael Carrick is looking to lead Manchester United to a first league double over Liverpool since he was in the Anfield away end a decade ago
United will be relieved they don’t have to face Mohamed Salah one final time after the Liverpool star was ruled out of what would have been his final visit to Old Trafford by injury.
Salah has been the scourge of United during his Anfield career with 16 goals and six assists form his 18 appearances in this fixture.
It includes seven goals in three games during a nightmare 17-month sequence for United which included 7-0, 5-0 and 4-0 thrashings at the hands of their old enemy.
While Carrick was reluctant to celebrate Salah’s absence in case it acted as an incentive for the rest of the Liverpool squad to prove he’s not irreplaceable, he admitted that facing the Egyptian has been ‘tough’ for United over the years.
‘I’m certainly not going to say that because they’ve got some good players,’ added the United boss. ‘They’ve got a very good squad and some good individuals, so I won’t be going that far.
‘But he’s been one of the best that has graced this great league for so long, so full credit to him for that.
‘I fully respect what he’s achieved. It’s been tough for us at times to watch it and obviously to be against us. But a lot of respect for what he has done for Liverpool, for the league and the level of performance that he’s produced for so long.
‘Everything does come to an end at some stage. He’s obviously not involved in the game, but we wish him all the best for whatever’s next.’
