Michael Carrick Expects More Goals Now From Manchester United Striker Michael Owen

"We always knew he could do it. He has been doing it all his career.

"Hopefully now he can get on a roll and he will continue to score many important goals for us over the next few weeks.

"It is good for him to score but it is about what he is contributing as well.

"As long as we are winning and everyone is playing well, we are satisfied."

Carrick himself showed great composure and character on Tuesday evening, playing as the central defender in a makeshift back three, as Sir Alex Ferguson shuffled his squad to cope with the current injury crisis at the club.

"I have never headed the ball as much," he joked afterwards.

"It is not the physical side that is hard about playing centre-half, it is the mental.

"You need to maintain concentration and focus at all times. I just put myself in the right positions and hoped for the best.

"We rode our luck at times but, as a back three, I thought we played well."

Zack Wilson, Goal.com UK