Michael Carrick admits the last three weeks have been tough for Manchester United.

Just three weeks ago, they were defending a lead at the top of the table and looking forward to an enticing Champions League quarter-final with Bayern Munich they were favourites to emerge from.

Even the solitary win in those past four games was tainted by the shattering away-goals defeat to Bayern, which, without City on the horizon to raise flagging moral, would have left a blank picture to stare at.

"The last couple of weeks have been difficult," he said.

"The standards we have set over the last few years have been incredibly high and when you don't achieve them it is disappointing.

"The way the week fell, with the two Bayern games and the Chelsea match in between, made it a double-blow.

"But we have to get on with it and finish strongly."