Portugal Colonial - Carrick says Man Utd's third-place finish 'something to build on'

The former United midfielder was confirmed as the English giants' new permanent head coach on a two-year contract on Friday after overseeing a dramatic improvement in form at Old Trafford since taking over following Ruben Amorim's acrimonious exit in January.

Carrick secured Champions League football with three matches to spare and United wrapped up third spot with last Sunday's 3-2 Premier League victory against Nottingham Forest.

United made it 12 wins in 17 games under Carrick at Brighton, Patrick Dorgu opening the scoring in the 33rd minute before Bryan Mbeumo and captain Bruno Fernandes extended the lead either side of half-time.

"We've finished strong," Carrick told the BBC.

"We had a good run and third place was kind of confirmed so I like the way we finished from that and carried it on.

"We had a real focus that it wasn't the end of the season, it was the next stage and today (Sunday) epitomised that with how well the boys approached the game... It gives us a platform to build on for next season."

Fernandes set a new outright Premier League record of 21 assists in a single season by providing the corner from which Dorgu headed in to give United a 1-0 lead against Brighton.

The Portugal international made it 3-0 in the 48th minute when a low shot gave him his ninth goal of the campaign.

The assist record came just a day after Fernandes was named the Premier League's player of the season, having already won the corresponding football writers' award.

"It's what he's done so often," said Carrick of Fernandes. "The creating and scoring of goals is what he has that gift for. He has a natural instinct for creation and he did it again today."

F.Carias--PC