Manchester United's Michael Carrick believes the application of pressure on other clubs will see the club bridge the gap on the top three. With a cluttered fixture in December, it is feared that Manchester United's performances would suffer but midfielder Carrick believes the Red Devils can stay with the pack and eventually overhaul league leaders Liverpool.

The club have just returned from claiming the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan and are now focused on Premier League matches.

"Given what we have had to cope with so far this season, we always felt if we were within touching distance at Christmas, it would not be too bad," Carrick said.

"We have achieved that.

"There is an awful long way to go in the season and games in hand are not guaranteed points, but we are pretty pleased with where we are.

"Now it is up to us to keep winning and applying the pressure to those above us."