The plan has changed, now aiming for top three! Manchester United can overtake Villa by beating Crystal Palace, Carrick hints at Šeško starting.

Aston Villa's Friday night Premier League slip-up, a 0-2 defeat away to the league's bottom side Wolves, has handed Manchester United a golden chance to enter the top three for the first time this campaign. Simply by defeating Crystal Palace at home this Sunday, United can draw level with Villa on points and claim third spot thanks to a superior goal difference!

Currently, Villa sit on 51 points with a +8 goal difference, while United have 48 points and a +11 goal difference. Therefore, securing all three points at Old Trafford would allow Carrick's side to leapfrog Villa on goal difference and break into the top three for the first time. With Arsenal hosting Chelsea this round, United also have a chance to further distance themselves from the Blues.

United even retain a faint hope of challenging for the top two, though achieving this is significantly more difficult, given Manchester City's typical end-of-season consistency and the unlikelihood of Arsenal collapsing like Villa. Unai Emery's side are masters of falling just short, as United demonstrated by crushing their Champions League hopes with a 2-0 win at the Theatre of Dreams on the final day last season.

Perhaps Emery's plans have now shifted, with the Europa League route offering a path to Champions League qualification. In Friday's draw, Villa were paired with French side Lille; they are the bookmakers' favorites for the competition, with main rivals including Italy's Roma, Germany's Stuttgart and Freiburg, Spain's Real Betis, and Portugal's Porto.

In contrast, United have no alternative but the Premier League path. Carrick stated clearly: "Champions League qualification is certainly a target we want to achieve. You can't take future progression for granted; you must strive to make it happen as soon as possible and prove you have the capability. So, success is a mandatory task. Right now, our focus is straight ahead; there's no need for a shift. We know our objective and what's required. Looking at what's happening elsewhere in Europe is pointless—our battle is here."

United's opponents, Crystal Palace, are on a two-game winning streak, shaking off a previous slump. However, having just played a Europa Conference League playoff on Thursday, their fitness is sure to be impacted. Furthermore, under Oliver Glasner this season, their Premier League record after European matches is dismal: just 1 win, 2 draws, and 6 losses from 8 games. Consequently, United are favored to win, overtake Villa, and seize a top-three position in the Premier League.

Whether Benjamin Šeško, who scored the winner against Everton last round, will start has become a talking point again ahead of the Crystal Palace match.

Carrick responded: "Overall, it's a positive situation. I would never view such a decision negatively. We are performing well as a team, without complacency. The forwards are also scoring plenty, and Benjamin (Šeško) has been excellent in many aspects. So, it's not an issue; rather, it highlights Benjamin's quality. Whether he starts the next game or the one after, it's justified—he has genuinely performed well."

Whether in his past at Middlesbrough or now at United, Carrick has faced criticism for being reluctant to change. He explained: "We are aware of this perception. Before the last game, the team had a long break. However, with the fixture list now getting busier, we need to adapt tactically or rotate players and positions. Even though United are playing well and winning at the moment, I and the coaching staff deeply understand the importance of every individual in the squad. Even with an unchanged lineup, there are subtle adjustments each match, like forwards taking up different positions or Luke (Shaw) having a varied role in possession. Our goal is to maintain this excellent momentum."

Regarding his attacking tactics, Carrick emphasized: "I don't think United are playing with a false nine. Bryan (Mbeumo) often leads the line upfront; our approach is quite versatile. Taking four points from two away games isn't bad, and the ability to change tactics through substitutions is a real strength."