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Carrick draws inspiration from Sir Alex Ferguson at Man Utd
Manchester United’s head coach, Michael Carrick, has expressed satisfaction with his initial performance, even after the team drew 1-1 with West Ham, marking his first dropped points.
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Manchester United's winning streak has come to an end with a draw against West Ham.
Due to the team's early exit from domestic cup competitions, resulting in the shortest season since 1914-15, Manchester United's remaining campaign will be divided into segments, including a longer-than-usual break without a game.
The team is currently in the first segment, with a 12-day gap before their next match against Everton.
For Michael Carrick, who took over as manager on January 13, this break provides an opportunity for his squad to rejuvenate, allowing players to recover from minor injuries and take a brief respite.
It also serves as a chance for reflection.
Carrick did not attempt to downplay the significance of Benjamin Sesko's injury-time equalizer, which ended United's four-match winning run, instead acknowledging the draw as a conclusion to their winning streak.
However, he noted that the overall assessment of the past month remains positive.
"We'll take the point, regroup, and assess the situation," Carrick stated.
"Considering the last five games, having only one draw is a significant positive."
Benjamin Sesko's 96th-minute strike secured a point for Manchester United against West Ham.
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Michael Carrick acknowledged that Manchester United were not at their best but found positives to take away from the match.
Carrick's initial victories over Manchester City and Arsenal were unexpected, while the wins against Fulham and Tottenham were anticipated but not without challenges.
Combined with the struggles of Chelsea and Liverpool, Manchester United now sit in fourth place, with a notable but not decisive advantage in the pursuit of a Champions League spot, a scenario few envisioned after Ruben Amorim's departure following the draw at Leeds on January 4.
"We're aware of how difficult it is to maintain a winning streak in this league," Carrick said, as his team remains unbeaten in nine league games under three managers, including interim manager Darren Fletcher.
"Sometimes it comes naturally, and everything clicks. Other times, it's a bit more challenging."
The question being posed to Carrick is whether his team can deliver winning performances against opponents they are expected to beat.
Many considered West Ham to be in that category, despite Nuno Espirito Santo's side aiming for their fourth win in five league games and having led Chelsea 2-0 in their previous match.
Carrick was unable to secure a victory.
Instead, he took a risk to try and salvage something from a game that seemed lost.
In the previous match against West Ham at Old Trafford in December, Amorim's only substitution involving an attacking player was Mason Mount for Joshua Zirkzee, 12 minutes from time.
His final change was replacing one defender, Lisandro Martinez, with another, Luke Shaw, while midfielder Kobbie Mainoo and young forward Shea Lacey remained on the bench.
At London Stadium, Carrick made a bold move by introducing Sesko in place of the ineffective Matheus Cunha.
The more significant gamble was the introduction of Zirkzee for full-back Diogo Dalot eight minutes from time, which led to a switch to a back three and pushing more players forward.
Carrick was aware of the risk of conceding a second goal but was rewarded with two superb saving tackles from substitute Leny Yoro and a save from Senne Lammens.
As the match entered injury time, Carrick's side still had a chance, and Sesko's excellent finish ensured they did not leave empty-handed.
"It's always worth trying to get something out of the game," Carrick said of his substitution.
"We all strive for the perfect performance, to be the best we can be. Sometimes it doesn't quite happen, but it doesn't mean we give up."
"Obviously, we went for it, with three at the back and the rest attacking, to try and find that goal. That's the way we should approach it."
This attitude is reminiscent of Sir Alex Ferguson's approach, who often gambled to achieve a desired outcome and enjoyed many late successes throughout his career.
With an 87th-minute winner against Arsenal, a 90th-minute winner against Fulham, and now a 95th-minute equalizer against West Ham, Carrick is pleased with 13 points out of 15 from his first set of games.
As he prepares for the next series of matches, Carrick will be delighted with the team's spirit and never-say-die attitude that contributed to their points tally.
The team's recent performances have shown a determination to succeed, even in the face of adversity.
Carrick's approach has yielded positive results, and he will look to build on this momentum in the upcoming games.
With the team regrouping before the next set of matches, Carrick will be focused on maintaining the spirit and attitude that has driven their recent success.
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News
UAE Defeats Canada to Enhance Super 8s Qualification Chances
The United Arab Emirates boosted their slim chances of advancing to the T20 World Cup Super 8s, securing a narrow five-wicket victory over Canada, thanks in part to Aryansh Sharma’s unbeaten 74.
In a crucial match for the United Arab Emirates, Aryansh Sharma achieved his fifth T20 international half-century, contributing to the team's victory over Canada.
The Men's T20 World Cup, being held in Group D in Delhi, saw an intense competition between the two teams.
Canada's innings resulted in a total of 150-7 after 20 overs, with Harsh Thaker scoring 50 runs off 41 balls, while Junaid Siddique took 5 wickets for 35 runs.
The UAE team responded with a total of 154 runs in 19.4 overs, led by Aryansh Sharma's unbeaten 74 runs off 53 balls and Sohaib Khan's 51 runs off 29 balls, despite Bin Zafar taking 3 wickets for 14 runs.
The United Arab Emirates secured a five-wicket win over Canada, boosting their chances in the tournament.
Aryansh Sharma played a pivotal role in the UAE's win, scoring an unbeaten 74 runs to help his team overcome Canada's total.
With four overs remaining, Canada seemed poised to defend their total, but Sohaib Khan's aggressive batting reignited the UAE's chase, as he scored 17 runs off Dillon Heyliger's bowling.
In the final over, the UAE required eight runs to win, and Aryansh Sharma eased the pressure by hitting a six off Jaskaran Singh's first ball.
Sohaib Khan was dismissed after scoring a rapid 51 runs off 29 balls, including four sixes, leaving the scores level.
Muhammad Arfan then sealed the victory with two balls to spare, hitting a four off Jaskaran Singh, as Aryansh Sharma top-scored with 74 runs off 53 balls.
The UAE now stands third in Group D with two points, but they face an uphill task in their upcoming matches against full members South Africa and Afghanistan to advance to the next phase.
Although the UAE has never beaten a full member in any World Cup format, their performance in this match has given them some confidence.
Earlier in the match, Junaid Siddique achieved the best bowling figures by a UAE player in a T20 World Cup, taking 5 wickets for 35 runs at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
Harsh Thaker's 41-ball half-century, which included three sixes and two fours, provided a solid foundation for Canada's total.
Thaker and Navneet Dhaliwal shared a 58-run partnership to help Canada recover from a difficult start, before Dhaliwal was run out for 34 runs.
After Thaker fell victim to Junaid Siddique's slower ball, Canada struggled to find boundaries against the UAE's tight bowling.
Shreyas Movva made a useful contribution of 21 runs off 21 balls, but Junaid Siddique took two wickets in the final over to claim his maiden five-wicket haul in T20 internationals.
In a separate match, Zimbabwe's Brilliant Muzarabani played a key role in his team's stunning win over Australia.
For more updates, notifications, and social media coverage, visit the BBC Sport website.
In another development, Paul Stirling has been ruled out of the remainder of the T20 World Cup due to injury.
News
GB’s Bankes knocked out in snowboard cross quarterfinals
Charlotte Bankes of Great Britain was knocked out in the quarter-final stage of the women’s snowboard cross event at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Charlotte Bankes of Great Britain has been knocked out of the women's snowboard cross event at the 2026 Winter Olympics, failing to advance beyond the quarter-final stage.
For more Winter Olympics coverage, videos are available to stream.
Access to Winter Olympics video content is restricted to users in the United Kingdom.
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Family of Murder Victim Expresses Frustration Over Delayed Trial Scheduling
A 21-year-old woman, Chloe Mitchell, lost her life in June 2023, and a man is set to stand trial, facing a murder charge.
The family of Chloe Mitchell, a 21-year-old woman from Ballymena, is facing further uncertainty as they await the outcome of a trial for her alleged murderer, which may be impacted by an ongoing barristers' strike.

Chloe Mitchell's life was cut short in June 2023, when she was killed in an incident that has left her family and community in shock.
Brandon John Rainey, the man accused of her murder, is scheduled to stand trial on February 23, but the proceedings may be delayed due to the industrial action by defence barristers.
Following a recent court hearing to review trial arrangements, Nadine Mitchell, Chloe's sister, expressed her family's distress and frustration, telling BBC News NI that they are struggling to cope with the uncertainty.
Nadine Mitchell stated that her family has been left with no choice but to wait once again for a resolution, having already endured a prolonged period of anxiety and uncertainty.
The family's emotional turmoil is evident, with Nadine describing the experience as a prolonged period of distress, marked by sleepless nights and unbearable tension.
The Mitchell family is struggling to come to terms with their situation, which has left them feeling overwhelmed and distraught.
The current strike by defence barristers in Northern Ireland, which began last month, is a result of a long-standing dispute over legal aid fees, with barristers arguing that their fees have not kept pace with inflation.
The strike has brought almost all criminal trials in Northern Ireland to a standstill, with the exception of cases where the defendant does not require legal aid.
The Mitchell family has appealed for their case to be treated as an exception, allowing the trial to proceed as scheduled.
Chloe Mitchell, who was 21 at the time of her disappearance, was reported missing in early June 2023, prompting an extensive search operation.
Her remains were discovered about a week later, following a series of searches in the Ballymena area.
Brandon John Rainey was subsequently arrested and charged with Chloe's murder, which is alleged to have taken place between June 2 and June 5, 2023.
Rainey also faces a charge of attempting to prevent the lawful burial of a deceased body.
The dispute between barristers and the Department of Justice centres on the level of legal aid fees, which barristers claim have not increased since 2005.

Barristers argue that the fees have not kept pace with inflation, resulting in a significant decrease in their real-terms value over the past 20 years.
The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) has warned that the low fees have created a crisis in the justice system, with many younger barristers refusing to take on legal aid cases due to the low rates of pay.
The CBA has described the strike as a "last resort" in their dispute with the Department of Justice, which has been ongoing for some time.
Despite an announced 16% increase in fees, which is set to take effect in mid-January, the strike has continued, with barristers arguing that the increase does not go far enough to address their concerns.
Chloe's father, George Mitchell, has previously appealed for an exception to be made in their case, allowing the trial to proceed despite the strike.
George Mitchell has argued that any delay to the trial would cause further trauma and distress for the families of victims.
He had invited Justice Minister Naomi Long to meet with him and his wife, Georgina, to discuss the matter further.
However, Minister Long has stated that it is not feasible to allow individual cases to proceed while the dispute over legal aid fees remains unresolved, citing ethical and practical concerns.
The minister has reiterated that the decision to grant exceptions lies with the CBA, which must weigh the competing demands of their members and the needs of the justice system.
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