“They’re not on trial!”: Carrick launches passionate defence of five United stars after uninspiring Sunderland draw

Manchester United boss Michael Carrick has insisted that his side earned a good point against Sunderland after the two sides played out a goalless stalemate. Draw United’s three-game winning streak was brought to an end at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon. A combination of Senne Lammens and the frame of the goal helped United get away with something after an uninspiring performance. Noah Sadiki came close to breaking the deadlock in the ealy stages when he ran clear but Lammens got down well to keep his effort out. Lammens was United’s hero yet again in the second half as he produced another top save to thwart Brian Brobbey, who was a constant thorn to the visitors’ defensive quartet. Brobbey set up Lutsharel Geertruida in the closing stages of the game but the substitute only managed to rattle the post. Eventually, both sides had to settle for a share of the points. Carrick spoke to Premier League Productions after the final whistle and emphasised that the Stadium of Light was always going to be a tricky affair for United. He also had his say on the displays of Joshua Zirkzee, Mason Mount, Noussair Mazraoui and Lisandro Martinez and Amad, who were all brought into the starting XI. Carrick’s remarks The 44-year-old coach said, “It’s a tough place to come. They’ve had a good record here all season. We’ll take the point, a clean sheet is always good to get.” “We’ve scored a lot of goals this season, its just one of those games. A decent enough point and we nearly won it at the end.” Asked how the five personnel changes impacted the game, Carrick answered, “It’s one game. It’s the time of the season. We’ve done a lot of good work and some changes today and I thought the attitude to the boys was really good.” “Today is a positive result in terms of the point. Was it going to be a perfect game? We weren’t expecting a perfect game. It is what it is. It’s not something we need to overthink and it’s hard to be negative.” He added, “They’re not on trial. As a team we could have been a bit better but we know what the boys can do. Everyone has contributed in such a good way.” “I’m pleased with the overall connection, communication and willingness to work for each other today.” On how United want to end the season, having already secured Champions League football, Carrick said, “We gave everything this week. We’ve got our last home game of the season that we will work towards this week. We look forward to it.” “It’s important to finish the season strong and I think today is a positive note for us.” United are next in action next Sunday when they host Nottingham Forest. Featured image George Wood via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!