- Birthdate: 28 Jul 1981
- Birthplace: Wallsend, North Shields
- Position: Midfielder
- Joined United: 31 Jul 2006
- Joined From: Tottenham Hotspur
- United Debut: 23 Aug 2006 v Charlton (A)
Michael Carrick, Louis van Gaal's current vice-captain, has established himself as one of the most effective midfielders in the Barclays Premier League since his arrival from Tottenham Hotspur in 2006.
Understated, and often underrated, Carrick has become a lynchpin of the United engine room, dictating play with his considered, refined style.
The 2014-15 campaign was another that served to underline Carrick's importance to the United midfield. Having been out of action until 8 November following an ankle injury, the Englishman produced an excellent display at the heart of a three-man defence in the 3-0 win over Liverpool, before reminding fans of his class upon his return to midfield. United won 12 and lost just one of the 16 games he started - the 1-0 reverse to Southampton.
Further injury setbacks saw Carrick sidelined again, though his return to fitness inspired the Reds’ best run of the season, as van Gaal's men saw off the midfielder's former club Spurs in March, before wins over Liverpool and Manchester City. Though a heavy knock in the derby-day win would end Carrick's season prematurely, his significance to the side was further highlighted, as United went on to suffer three straight defeats.
It was only from 2012/13 when he truly gained wider acclaim for his performances, earning a spot in the PFA Premier League Team of the Season and being voted Players' Player of the Year by his United team-mates.
His impact on the Reds' squad was evident long before the 20th title-winning campaign, though. During his debut campaign of 2006/07, he carved out a formidable partnership with Paul Scholes and began to mature into one of English football's most sophisticated and classy passing midfielders, quickly bagging the maiden honour of his professional career with the Premier League title.
A calming influence and the master of the interception, he also starred as the Reds conquered England and Europe in 2007/08, beating Chelsea to both the Premier League and Champions League before penning a new, four-year contract extension.
After missing nine games early in the 2008/09 season with an ankle injury, the Geordie returned to establish himself as the focal point of United's midfield, finishing with 43 appearances in all competitions and scoring a crucial May winner at Wigan during the title run-in.
His fourth campaign with United proved more difficult, not least when an injury crisis at the club forced him to take up an emergency role in the back four. However, he responded in style, first at West Ham where the Reds won 4-0 and then away to Wolfsburg where he proved his versatility.
The midfielder agreed to extend his stay at Old Trafford again at the beginning of March 2011, when he signed a new three-year deal to keep him at the club until the end of the 2013/14 campaign.
Though he failed to score in 2010/11, the first barren season of his United career, he was particularly effective after Christmas in a more defensive midfield role, as he helped the Reds reclaim the title. This form further improved in 2011/12 as Carrick once again asserted his authority in the centre of the park, and though his shielding work proved integral to United's approach, a late-season collapse meant Manchester City nabbed the title in the dying seconds of the campaign.
Carrick's calmness under pressure and pin-point passing has become integral to the present iteration of Manchester United. Indeed, his 2012/13 campaign was probably his finest in a red shirt as, alongside Robin van Persie, United's no.16 was the crux of the club's 20th league triumph. An assured and experienced presence, Carrick's contribution only sporadically extended to goalscoring with occasionally spectacular results – but in his primary role of screening the defence, intercepting passes and probing against well-drilled opposing ranks, Carrick once again proved himself as one of the modern game's leading exponents.
Come the end of yet another title-winning campaign, the midfielder was acknowledged by his peers when he scooped the Players' Player of the Year award at a lavish post-season ceremony. It was just reward for the Newcastle-born player, who had made a habit throughout his Reds career of being an understated, yet crucial presence. Finally, the appreciation for his efforts was being placed on record by both his team-mates and the fans.
The following campaign of 2013/14 was a tough one for both the player and club. With the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson after 26 years in the Old Trafford hot-seat, David Moyes was the man now in charge of the nation's most successful side and 'change' was the buzz-word in and around the Aon Training Complex.
As one of the club's most consistent performers over previous seasons, it was unsurprising to see Carrick as a regular in Moyes' starting XI. However, he struggled to recapture the form of the previous season as the Reds started the campaign in sluggish fashion. An Achilles injury, picked up in November, didn't help Carrick's cause and, though he was back in the starting line-up by the festive period, he was far from his best. Thankfully, his form improved as the season went on but Michael couldn't prevent a trophy-less end to the season. Carrick's experience and know-how has already proved vital in the new era under van Gaal and, in March 2015, the midfielder extended his current deal with the club for a further year until at least June 2016.
