Nemanja Vidic hailed the performance of Manchester United teammate Michael Carrick in victory at Chelsea.
The Geordie produced one of his best performances of the season in the Champions League triumph.
United captain Vidic told manutd.com: "From the players' point of view, Michael is a very important player for us. He brings a lot of balance to the team - he's a link between defence and attack.
"Maybe he's not the most attractive footballer - he doesn't often do fancy tricks - but for our team he plays a key role.
"He takes up good positions so the defenders can always pass to him and he defends very well. He's a top player and has a lot of passion for the game."
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