Michael Carrick faced the media in the embargoed portion of his pre-match press conference, and the Manchester United interim boss had plenty to say ahead of tomorrow's massive Premier League showdown with Liverpool at Old Trafford.

With Brighton's defeat today, the Red Devils now need just a single point to secure Champions League football for next season—a remarkable turnaround from when Carrick took charge in January, when such a feat seemed like a distant dream.

When asked about Amad's performances since joining the club, particularly after his impressive display against Liverpool at Anfield in October, Carrick was quick to defend the young winger. "I actually think he's playing well," Carrick said. "Numbers in terms of goals and assists—there's an awful lot more in the game than just worrying about those statistics, especially when you're playing in a winning team. He gives the team so much. He's got tremendous talent and ability, but his work ethic and attitude are fantastic too. He's played different roles at times."

The United boss added: "I'm a big fan of Amad. He was unlucky the other night when we had to change things tactically—that's purely why he came off. But he's given the team an awful lot. It's the underbelly of what goes into a performance, not always the headline-grabbing moments, that actually proves you're a team destined for success. Amad is very much part of that."

Carrick was also asked about his memories of United's last league double over Liverpool at Anfield—a match he watched from the away end while injured. "I'd have rather been on the pitch at that point, but I was injured," he recalled with a smile. "We took the opportunity to go. I've done it a number of times—to be in the away end, to sample it, feel it, and be that connected to understand it. When Wayne scored, there was quite a bit of celebrating going on. You kind of lose yourself for a moment or two. Really good memories. It's been a while since we did that, obviously. Hopefully we can produce another good result on Sunday."

After the midweek victory, Carrick emphasized the importance of maintaining focus, knowing that this Liverpool clash could define United's season and cement their return to Europe's elite competition.