Michael Carrick: Midfielder defends Man Utd style

Michael Carrick has made 13 appearances for Manchester United this season

Michael Carrick has defended Manchester United's style of play under manager Louis van Gaal.

Wayne Rooney ended United's run of more than six-and-a-half hours without scoring with the winner in the 1-0 Champions League win over CSKA Moscow.

Former midfielder Paul Scholes said United had a "lack of creativity".

However, Carrick said the squad were not worried by the criticism and denied United had become "more conservative" since Van Gaal took over in 2014.

"There are so many opinions out there," said Carrick, who started the win over CSKA at Old Trafford - a result which ended a run of three successive 0-0 draws.

"If you start worrying about what people are saying about you on TV or in the papers then you are in trouble.

"There is nothing wrong with those comments. You have to take the rough with the smooth and if you accept the pats on the back then you have to accept the criticism when it comes. I have respect for Scholesy and that isn't going to change."

Carrick was also asked if he felt the days of playing "cavalier" football under former manager Sir Alex Ferguson were over.

"What do you do?" he replied, "throw it in the box and hope or do you play football and try and pass it and break them down?

"There is a lot made of tactics and things at the minute but as players we can't get too involved in that. We just do what the manager tells us."

Carrick won five Premier League titles and the Champions League, in 2008, under Ferguson, but admitted that they did not always play well during that period.

"It's how people remember things isn't it?" he added. "Your childhood was always great wasn't it?"