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Carrick: We can cover for Wayne

Michael Carrick is confident Manchester United can maintain their progress towards a Champions League knock-out berth even if Wayne Rooney fails to make Wednesday’s trip to Moscow.

With two wins under their belt already, the Red Devils have no need to take any risks with their talisman, especially as Sir Alex Ferguson must plot to beat Liverpool at Anfield next Sunday.

So, if there is any doubt at all over Rooney’s recovery from a calf injury sustained on England duty in the Ukraine, he will remain in Manchester where he can be with wife Coleen, who is due to give birth to the couple’s first child.

Although Carrick accepts it would be a blow to be without his international team-mate, he does feel there is sufficient strength in depth among the Old Trafford ranks not to get too depressed.

“It is a blow,” he said.

“You want your best players fit and available as much as possible.

“But we have the squad. Everyone is here to perform when others are missing. That is the whole point and I am sure we will be fine.”

However, having observed Rooney at close quarters with both club and country this term, Carrick feels the 23-year-old has risen to the challenge of replacing the influence of departed superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

“Wayne has been flying this season,” said Carrick.

“His performances have been excellent and has already scored plenty of goals.

“But it has not changed him. He is just the same as he has always been.

“He is desperate to play well, not just for himself, but also the team. I have seen him play in various positions over the last few years and he adapts as well as everyone.

“There is more responsibility on his shoulders now but he has responded in a positive way. Hopefully that continues and he keeps doing it for a long time.”

Certainly Rooney has made an impact in Europe, where that opening day win over Besiktas in Istanbul put United in the Group B driving seat.

Their performance against Wolfsburg at Old Trafford a fortnight later may not have matched that standard, but it was still enough to account for the German champions. That win leaves United requiring only four more points to reach the 10 which Ferguson traditionally sets as the qualification benchmark.

Top spot and a favourable last 16 draw are the targets Carrick will be setting once the first goal is achieved, with United looking to atone for that miserable final appearance in Rome last May.

A fourth successive semi-final appearance is possible, which would be a remarkable feat, particularly for Carrick, whose £18.6million arrival from Tottenham in 2006 coincided with the upsurge in fortunes at Old Trafford that has also brought a hat-trick of Premier League titles.

“It looks like I timed it just right,” said Carrick, ignoring completely the thought he could have been the catalyst rather than the fortunate beneficiary.

“I have had three great seasons here.

“To win the league titles like we have – and then to get a fourth would be amazing. And we definitely want to do something about that Champions League defeat as well.

“It just makes me more determined than ever.”

Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: alex ferguson, besiktas, calf injury, close quarters, Coleen, driving seat, England, Europe, fortnight, Istanbul, knock out, Liverpool, Manchester, manchester united, Michael Carrick, Moscow, old trafford, opening day, premier league, red devils, ROME, ronaldo, sir alex ferguson, talisman, team mate, trip to moscow, ukraine, Wayne, wayne rooney

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I´d pay to watch Ronaldo, says Messi

LONDON (AFP) – Barcelona star Lionel Messi will have the chance to watch Cristiano Ronaldo at close quarters on Wednesday after admitting the Manchester United winger is the one player he would pay to see in action.

Along with Ronaldo, Argentina forward Messi is widely regarded as one of the top two or three players in the world, and the duo will be the centre of attention in Wednesday’s Champions League final in Rome.

But it is the Portuguese playmaker’s flamboyant skills that most excite Messi when he sits down to watch a match on television.

“Manchester United have quality everywhere,” Messi told the Daily Mail. “So many good players. But if I had to pick one out it would be Ronaldo. He is a player I would pay to watch.

“He and I are very different players but he is unbelievable, very special, and it will not be easy to stop him.

“But we must not pay all attention to him and forget about Berbatov, Rooney and Carlos Tevez.

“Manchester United have players all over the pitch who can punish you in the same way we have.”

Messi also reaffirmed his loyalty to Barcelona and insisted he wants to remain with the club for the rest of his career.

The 21-year-old has been linked with a move to arch-rivals Real Madrid, but he has no intention of leaving Camp Nou.

“I have said so many times that I am so happy at Barcelona, and I have no desire to ever leave,” he said.

“I owe them so much. I want to repay them for the rest of my career. I am loyal to Barcelona.

“The doctors at home in Argentina told my parents I would never grow past 4ft 5in.

“The medical bills were very high. My father took on other jobs but even then it was not enough for the other bills.

“Nobody else was prepared to take a chance on me apart from Barcelona and if it was not for them I would not even be a professional football player.”

Tags: arch rivals, Argentina, Barcelona, berbatov, camp nou, carlos tevez, carlos tevez manchester united, centre of attention, champions league, close quarters, daily mail, intention, lionel messi, london, loyalty, MADRID, Manchester, medical bills, playmaker, portuguese, professional football player, real madrid, ROME, ronaldo, rooney, UEFA Champions League, winger

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