Michael Carrick has challenged his team-mates to finish the season strongly and reignite their title hopes.
United star calls on team-mates to finish season strongly
Manchester United star Michael Carrick has challenged the Red Devils to finish the season strongly and reignite their title hopes.
United's campaign has imploded in the last fortnight, crashing out of the UEFA Champions League at the quarter-final stage against Bayern Munich, while also losing to Chelsea and then only drawing with Blackburn in the league.
Sir Alex Ferguson's side now sit four points behind the Blues with four games to go but Carrick is not giving up their Premier League crown just yet.
While United face their difficult derby clash with Manchester City on Saturday, Chelsea have arguably just as hard a game away to Spurs and Carrick believes anything could happen.
Lifeline
He said: "We are not giving up. We still have that lifeline and whilst we still have half a chance, we will continue to fight.
"Tomorrow could throw up something different again.
"You just have to hope that we can get the right result and things will swing back in our favour."
Carrick joined United in 2006 at the start of a run which has seen the Red Devils crowned champions in three successive seasons.
While disappointed with recent results, he has challenged United to bounce back in their remaining four games as they go in search of another title.
He added: "The last couple of weeks have been difficult.
"The standards we have set over the last few years have been incredibly high and when you don't achieve them it is disappointing.
Double blow
"The way the week fell, with the two Bayern games and the Chelsea match in between, made it a double blow.
"But we have to get on with it and finish strongly."
City and United have already met in three pulsating derby clashes this season and Carrick is expecting more of the same at Eastlands on Saturday.
He added: "It is more than a local rivalry.
"It has intensified a lot, understandably with the way things have gone.
"You could see that in the Carling Cup semi-finals. Those two games were brilliant and I am sure it will be something like that tomorrow. Hopefully we will get the same result."
