MICHAEL CARRICK SIGNED off his Premier League career by creating the only goal of the game as Manchester United beat Watford 1-0 on the final day of the season.
Carrick, who will join United manager Jose Mourinho’s backroom team from next season, was handed the captain’s armband for his final game at Old Trafford and given a guard of honour as the teams emerged for kick-off.
And it was the former England midfielder who made the decisive contribution, his superb lifted throughball enabling Juan Mata to tee up Marcus Rashford to break the deadlock.
That was the lone piece of invention from a United side minus the services of Anthony Martial, who was left out of the squad amid rumours of a move away, though MUTV later suggested the France international has an injury.
United’s inability to take full control of the game after taking the lead may be of concern to Mourinho ahead of the FA Cup final with former club Chelsea next weekend.
However, the victory was never in doubt after they went ahead, Watford struggling to craft anything reply as United finished on 81 points, the 19-point gap to champions Manchester City an illustration of the improvements the Premier League runners-up must make next season.
Early on United played with a lack of intensity perhaps befitting of a side focused on a cup final.
As a result Watford found plenty of openings in the United defence on the counter, though they struggled to exploit them, but the visitors were dealt a blow when Christian Kabasele was forced off through injury after falling awkwardly into the advertising hoardings.
And Watford’s inability to take advantage of United’s lackadaisical start was punished as Carrick provided a wonderful flourish of creativity to mark his last game.
He lifted an expertly weighted ball over the Watford backline, with Mata beating the offside trap and controlling it brilliantly before squaring for Rashford to tap into an empty net.
United were grateful to Sergio Romero for preserving their lead a minute before half-time, David de Gea’s understudy springing to his left to turn Richarlison’s point-blank header from Daryl Janmaat’s cross behind, with Gerard Deulofeu firing into the Argentine’s midriff from the subsequent corner.
Such moments of excitement were thin on the ground in an extremely pedestrian second half in which Watford, who finished the campaign in 14th as a result of this defeat, finished the stronger.
But there was still a moment to remember late on as Carrick’s 464th United appearance came to a close, receiving a standing ovation as he was replaced by Paul Pogba on a day that belonged to one of the club’s most distinguished servants.
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Rolls Royce of a player Carrick. Won every honour a footballer can.
@Brian Dunne: Uh, he didn’t win a World Cup.
@Conor Alexander Lynott: as a club player. Playing in England and Europe before you say he hasn’t won la liga
@Brian Dunne: In your original comment, you didn’t specify club football, you just said ‘every honour’.
@Conor Alexander Lynott: Well now we have it all cleared up. Cheers!
@Brian Dunne: Thanks for clearing that up Brian. Conor really threw a spanner in the works there. Ruined my Sunday to be honest.
A whopping 1-0 win against the mighty Watford
@Running Down The Wing: Finish 2nd and the goalie gets player of the year says it all!
@DL_8_5: I suppose it’s laughable really since the goalkeeper was actually the best player of the season… imagine, the goalkeeper the best player of the whole season. Madness.
@An Observer2: think it’s more laughable that the guy with the golden boot , PFA awards etc only finishes fourth and by the skin of their teeth