Michael Carrick hits back at critics who say he is not good enough for Manchester United: Sometimes I wonder what is good enough for them

Michael Carrick(Getty Images)

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Michael Carrick has hit out at his critics and insists that he deserves to play for Manchester United.

The 29-year-old joined the Red Devils in 2006, and has helped the club win four Premier League titles and one Champions League in the last five years, but has constantly come under fire from sceptics.

“When people have said I’ve not been good enough for United’s midfield, then yeah, sometimes I do wonder what is good enough for them,” Carrick told the Daily Mirror.

“I’ve had a fantastic time here, winning four titles in five years, and being involved with three Champions League finals. But of course, I get frustrated at times, because it’s winning trophies that sets teams and players apart and we’ve done that.

“Then I can catch myself and say, ‘Why the hell are you worrying about it?’

“It’s there for people to see, and if they can’t, so what?

“You hope that people realise you must be doing something right to achieve what we have competing against the best teams in the world, but if not, then does that matter? The only thing that matters is winning the next trophy.”

That next trophy may not be far away, as United take on Barcelona in the Champions League final at Wembley on Saturday.

But memories of 2009 – when the Red Devils were beaten 2-0 by the Catalan club – are not far away.

“I’m not bothered about the chance of revenge, or proving anything. It’s a more simple motivation than that,” said Carrick.

“It’s about the chance to play on that stage again, against the biggest sides, and the opportunity to get your hands on the trophy. What happened in the past has happened, you can’t change it. But one thing you don’t want to go through is that feeling again, ever.

“What is inside all of us in this squad is that we want to get our hands on the trophy and taste that moment at the end.

“We are not the first side Barca have beaten. But to lose like that was devastating, so I can understand why people think we can’t beat them.

“But there’s no issue, no fear for us. We have beaten them before – we’ve proved we can beat them. On that night in Rome, it didn’t work. But we know where it didn’t work and there is no block.”