Michael Carrick sought to defend Joshua Zirkzee after his quiet afternoon for Manchester United of their goalless draw with Sunderland.
Zirkzee was handed his first start since early December given the injury to Benjamin Sesko and the shortage of type of Bryan Mbeumo.
The Dutch striker has been a bit-part player since Carrick’s arrival in January, and struggled to make any real impact on the sport when finally given a probability to begin.
Zirkzee had just three touches within the opposition box and one shot on goal before being withdrawn after 65 minutes as United laboured to a draw on the Stadium of Light.
But Carrick was reticent to criticise the 24-year-old’s peformance given the character of the sport and his lack of game time in recent months.
‘I assumed there have been certain times when Josh linked the play very well and certain times once we probably left him a bit of bit isolated at times,’ Carrick told reporters post-match.
‘That’s the way it goes, I feel he played an actual part for the team.
‘I understand it’s not all the time easy for any player while you haven’t played for a bit of bit to come back right into a game, so actually not only judging any individual on only one performance today anyway.’
On his side’s performance more generally, Carrick added: ‘It was a troublesome game. Credit to Sunderland, I feel we knew it was going to be a troublesome game coming here anyway.
‘We needed to dig deeper times, it wasn’t our greatest, but actually to take something from the sport while you’re not at your best is a superb trait that we’re attempting to construct as well.
‘There have been obviously changes and sometimes you’re trying to seek out that rhythm a bit of bit, which is comprehensible, but I still quite liked it.
‘Plenty of the things to present us the muse to then give you the chance to play higher at certain times, but to take a degree and a clean sheet for what it’s, I feel, is okay.’
United were dealt a blow before kick-off when each Casemiro and Benjamin Sesko were ruled out through injury.
Asked for an update on the pair, Carrick said: ‘Casemiro can be positive, it’s not a significant issue, he’ll be positive next week.
‘Ben will just must see, he’s been carrying a shin problem for a bit of little bit of time now, so we’ve just got to administer that and see what’s best for him.’
United are back in motion next Sunday at home to Nottingham Forest.
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