Carrick: Manchester United showed character in FA Cup quarter-final with West Ham

Michael Carrick of Manchester United applauds the fans

Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick said the team live to fight another day following their 1-1 draw with West Ham in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

United salvaged a replay on Sunday, as Anthony Martial struck late to cancel out Dimitri Payet’s stunning free-kick at Old Trafford.

“We were well aware of the importance of this match going into the game and wanted to go through in this competition. We haven’t quite done it yet but we live to fight another day,” Carrick told BT Sport.

“We’ll take the draw in the end, but we were pressing for a winner and definitely wanted to win the game. I always felt we would get back in it but we just couldn’t get a winner. Of course there’s relief, it’s a big opportunity.

“It’s the FA Cup and we all want to go far in this competition. To go 1-0 down in the second half and then be pushing for a winner is positive.

“It was a great free-kick [from Payet] but I thought we showed character to get back into the game and push for a winner. We were building pressure and probably had more opportunities.

“The final pass didn’t quite happen for us and we didn’t work the goalkeeper enough.

“It’s the FA Cup, it was end-to-end at times and there was a lot happening in the box but I thought it  was a good cup tie.

“With penalty decisions, sometimes you get them and sometimes you don’t, so one goal each way is probably fair I think.” KickOff.com

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