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Michael Carrick says Manchester United's players are eager to return to action after an unusual 24-day stretch without a competitive fixture.
The Red Devils last featured on March 20, settling for a point in a 2–2 draw with Bournemouth—an entertaining affair, though not quite as wild as the remarkable 4–4 clash between the sides back in December.
United have no European campaign to contend with this season, and their FA Cup involvement has also come to an end—leaving them with a longer break than most clubs following the conclusion of the March international window.
By the time United's squad steps out at Old Trafford to face Leeds United on Monday evening, Carrick's men will have gone three-and-a-half weeks without competitive football.
Carrick: United Refreshed After 'Strange' International Break
"We can't wait," Carrick told United's in-house media. "It's been a strange couple of weeks for us and the boys who have been here—for some of them it's been business as usual heading off on international duty. It doesn't feel like such a big deal when you look at it that way, rather than focusing on the 24 days between games, because there's been plenty happening in between.
"I have to say the lads have come back together this week and there's been a real freshness about them—a good feeling, an energetic and positive vibe going around, which is really encouraging. We're definitely looking forward to it and it can't come soon enough now."
United currently occupy a strong position in the Premier League, sitting third in the standings on 55 points, ahead of Aston Villa (by one), Liverpool (by three) and Chelsea (by seven). The picture could look different by kick-off, however, with Villa set to travel to Nottingham Forest on Sunday and Chelsea facing title-chasing Manchester City later that same day.
Should Villa and Chelsea both claim victories, United will face added pressure to get the better of rivals Leeds—even though midweek Champions League results confirmed that a top-five finish will now be sufficient to secure a place in European football's premier club competition, rather than the traditional top-four requirement.
"It's great. It's where we want to be, first and foremost—not so much about the other teams, but it is important," Carrick said regarding the additional qualifying spot. "The more chances we have for that, the better. We'd obviously like to finish as high up the table as we possibly can, and having so many English clubs involved and competing in that tournament benefits the teams in the league and is fantastic for the game overall.
"But ultimately, we become quite selfish when it comes to things like that. It's where we want to be for our own sake more than anything else."