In form Carrick has something to sing about after the painful memories of Rome

Michael Carrick is bemused and, typically, a little embarrassed by the fuss. Up in the stands at Loftus Road, despite Rafael striking one of the goals of the season and Ryan Giggs also scoring in Manchester United’s victory over QPR, for a good 10 minutes the away fans sang a new chant, to the tune of Pilot’s 1974 hit Magic, that went: ‘Hard to believe it’s not Scholes. It’s Carrick.’
Among the more discerning of United fans, it is Carrick who is the man of the moment. Certainly, at the age of 31, he is having his best season, although he is not a man at home with the hype.
‘I probably have improved in certain ways and, for whatever reason, it has attracted attention,’ he said. ‘It does make me laugh at times when that’s the case, but I suppose that’s how the game is. Certain people talk about it, and then certain people believe it … and it snowballs from there.
‘I understand how it works. That’s the nature of the beast. Positive or negative, it’s the same sort of thing. But the manager said it’s the best season I’ve had. He went on record saying it, and he’s probably right.’

On form: Michael Carrick is enjoying his best season for Manchester United

Trust: Sir Alex Ferguson started Carrick in the 2008, 2009 and 2011 Champions League finals

Not that Sir Alex Ferguson needs much convincing of Carrick’s abilities. You can tell what he thinks about a player by the level of trust he places in him to perform in the biggest games — and Carrick started the Champions League finals of 2008, 2009 and 2011.
Conventional wisdom has been that it was the 2009 final against Barcelona that exposed his limitations, and that being out-passed by Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets led to a crisis of confidence and a loss of form.
‘It was one game,’ said Carrick. ‘But people talk about that game and it was unfortunate that it happened in the final, but it was against the best team around at the time. It wasn’t like we had a disaster against a poor side. They’ve shown as a team what they are and what they can be. But it wasn’t a pleasant night for us in Rome.
‘If you lose the match, you’re up there to be criticised. I don’t think it was that game in particular. I just think I wasn’t playing as well as I had. We lost the league that season but the next year we got to the Champions League final and won the league. Of course, people look to that Rome final and say that’s what took the hit, but it’s an easy thing to say.
‘I didn’t play as well after that, though I had a good spell for a few months. But we didn’t finish very well and the World Cup (in 2010 under Fabio Capello) was a bit of a write-off. But after that I started playing well again.’

Painful: Carrick endured a torrid time in the 2009 Champions League final when United lost 2-0 to Barcelona

Now he feels more in control of his performance than ever. ‘Maybe it’s just the influence on the team. You’re getting to the stage where you’re a senior player and you have more responsibility. And the experience I’ve had has maybe made me a better player. I’ve played in big games, I’ve played a number of years at this club and experienced an awful lot. It probably all comes together bit by bit.’
On Tuesday against Real Madrid there will be something of a test of his new status. Against Xabi Alonso, Sami Khedira and Mesut Ozil, Carrick will again be invited to take charge of the midfield in a game of the highest quality. In the ebb and flow of the first leg at the Bernabeu last month, there were times when it looked as though United might be overwhelmed, as in those finals against Barcelona.
Real Madrid’s performance on Tuesday at the Nou Camp, where they won convincingly  3-1 despite conceding much of the possession to Barcelona, is an unnecessary reminder of just how threatening these opponents can be. ‘You see how they counter-attack,’ said Carrick. ‘You could be comfortable with the ball and three passes later it could be in the back of the net just as easy.’

In the balance: Danny Welbeck's header earned Manchester United a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Madrid

As for his former team-mate, Cristiano Ronaldo, there has to be a plan but not one that is obsessed with one player. ‘You can’t change too much because we’ve got threats as well. But you’ve got to respect him, and you have to take measures to stop them. All in all, I thought we did a decent job of it over in Madrid. But then you’ve also got Ozil, who is a terrific player. Cristiano gets the headlines, but he’s a big talent as well.’
It is suggested that the winner of this tie, along with Bayern Munich, would be favourites, given Barcelona’s plight against AC Milan. ‘Regardless of that, I think we go into this competition believing we’ve got a chance. But you’d think whoever comes through this tie would be fancied strongly. There are three, four, five favourites aren’t there? That’s why the competition is what it is.’

Dangerous: Real's counter-attacking threat was evident when they beat Barcelona 3-1 at the Nou Camp

Last month’s game was Carrick’s first at the Bernabeu, and significantly he says it is something that might have affected him in the past.
‘It’s probably not as intimidating as it would have been a few years back but, again, that comes with the experience of playing on these occasions in different stadiums. 
‘It was more about just the game itself, it wasn’t about the surroundings. Sometimes, when you were a youngster, you start thinking about the surroundings and where you’re at and what the actual match means. For me now, you just play the game and you play it the way it is.’