Manchester United legend Gary Neville is convinced Michael Carrick is keeping the current team together.

Neville believes it is no coincidence that United have lost just once since Carrick returned from a serious ankle injury he suffered last summer.

"At the start of the season we were struggling, ask yourself who wasn't playing? Michael Carrick wasn't playing," said Neville, who played 602 times for the club.

"Now he's playing and the club went on a great unbeaten run.

"When you play with Michael Carrick you think there is authority, control, peace.

"When you are on a football pitch playing against Liverpool or Manchester City, you need peace around you as well. You sometimes don't want people running around.

"Scholes and Carrick together was peaceful. It was like going into a bar and hearing a piano playing.

"It's relaxing. Listening to some good rock is good and you like that too but sometimes it's nice to listen to a piano. Carrick's a piano."