Manchester United' 2-0 win over Villarreal in the Champions League
Goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho gave Carrick a win in his first game in temporary charge two days after Solskjaer was sacked."It's not been an easy couple of days for anyone at the club and that result almost feels like it's for Ole," said Carrick, a Champions League winner with United as a player in 2008.
"We had a job to do and things needed to be taken care of. I was happy to do it, and thankfully, it all went to plan."When you've suffered results-wise and aren't in good form, individually and as a team, it's not easy to come out and let everything click - we had to show some character and fight."
Ronaldo maintained his record of scoring in every game in this season's competition when he lifted the ball over goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli in the 78th minute after Fred had dispossessed Etienne Capoue. Sancho then sealed the victory in injury time, blasting a shot that went in off the underside of the crossbar.
However, United was indebted to goalkeeper David de Gea as he produced two superb one-handed saves, one in each half, to keep out well-struck efforts from Manu Trigueros when it was goalless. United will progress as group winners with a game to spare after Atalanta could only draw 3-3 with Young Boys in the later game on Tuesday.
The result delighted United's travelling fans, with Carrick hugging his players at the final whistle as some of the gloom over the club lifted. A bad run of form has left them eighth in the Premier League, 12 points behind leaders Chelsea, with Solskjaer's three years in charge coming to an end after an embarrassing 4-1 defeat by Watford on Saturday.
Carrick, Solskjaer's assistant, said on Monday he was not thinking about a chance to impress and earn the role on a full-time basis. Before the game in Spain, former team-mate Paul Scholes, now a BT Sport pundit, was scathing of Carrick and fellow coaches Kieran McKenna and Mike Phelan, saying: "I would be embarrassed being on the staff now.
"They all should have gone - sacked or go off their own back. They have let the club down as much as Ole has."United have said they are looking to appoint an interim boss until the end of the 2021-22 campaign before potentially hiring a full-time manager after that.
Earlier on Tuesday, former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino said he was "so happy" at current club Paris St-Germain and that he would not be distracted by links to the United job. During the match, it was revealed former Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde had been contacted about the role of interim manager.
However, despite the off-field distractions and criticism, United secured their first clean sheet in 15 matches - only their second of the season - and whoever takes over will have Champions League football to look forward to in February.
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