Michael Carrick insists MU is ready to face the pressure of the Champions League

JAKARTA - Manchester United coach Michael Carrick insists his team is ready to face the huge pressure to finish in the Champions League zone ahead of the crucial match against Aston Villa tomorrow Sunday.

Carrick, as reported by Antara, highlighted the importance of the players' answers after losing the match, especially in maintaining motivation in the midst of the tight competition for the top four in the English League.

"It's always about what's next, how you react, whether you win or not," Carrick told a news conference ahead of the Villa game, on MU's website Saturday.

He added that the main focus of the coaching staff is to monitor how the players respond emotionally to the upcoming decisive matches.

United is in third place in the standings with the same points as Aston Villa, but has a better goal-scoring productivity.

The duel at Old Trafford will be a crucial momentum for both teams who are competing fiercely for the European ticket.

Since Carrick took over the team in January, United has shown a positive trend by winning six out of eight matches.

Despite suffering a first defeat to Newcastle United, Carrick assessed that the defeat was a common dynamic in the English league.

"Almost all teams experience that. I understand because it's the first defeat that feels a little different, but it will happen someday," he said.

The former United midfielder is optimistic that his team's position provides additional motivation for the squad to continue fighting until the end of the season.

In terms of player composition, Mason Mount has the opportunity to return to the squad after being sidelined for two months.

However, the back line is still limp without Patrick Dorgu, Lisandro Martinez, and Matthijs de Ligt who are still injured.

The void in the heart of the defense has so far been patched up by Harry Maguire's consistent performance. Carrick specifically praised the 33-year-old defender's role who showed maturity and experience in various difficult situations.

Maguire's impressive performance under Carrick is also predicted to open the way for the player to break into the England national team squad.