New Manchester United Captain Michael Carrick Willing to Wait for First Team Chances

Newly-appointed Manchester United captain Michael Carrick is willing to wait for first team chances, despite being completely left out of the match day squad for the Red Devils' Premier League opener against West Ham.

The 36-year old signed for the club back in 2006 from Tottenham Hotspur and in over 10 seasons at the club, he has made 459 appearances. However, in recent times, the veteran midfielder has struggled to see minutes on the pitch amid stiff competition.

Yet, as reported by Sky Sports, Carrick's lack of game time is not getting the new captain down. Instead, the former England international seems understanding of his current place in the squad.

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"We've got a great squad. It's a long season and there will be a lot of games. Hopefully, we can go far in the cup competitions. There will be a lot of games, just like last year and there is going to be a lot of rotation in the squad."

Since taking over the captain's armband, Carrick has yet to feature competitively for the club. However, he is likely to play an important role from the sidelines as a veteran presence, something he believes played a role in him becoming club captain in the first place.

"[Becoming captain is] a big honour for me, it's very special to be in the position I am. It probably comes with me being here for quite some time now and being the oldest in the squad."

However, despite his new role, Carrick does not believe he has to make too many changes, either on or off the pitch.

"There's obviously more responsibility but I think that's a natural thing. You've got to try to lead in certain ways but I'm just trying to be myself. You can't suddenly change because you're put in a different role. You just got to be yourself and respect all the lads like I do."

Carrick's next opportunity to play may come in Manchester United's upcoming Premier League game against Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium this Saturday.