Carroll singing praises of red-hot United

Roy Carroll has admitted the games cannot come fast enough for in-form Manchester United as they look to chase down Barclays Premiership leaders Chelsea.

The Red Devils head to Aston Villa tonight looking to record their seventh win in eight league outings, a run that has seen them re-emerge as genuine title contenders after an early-season stutter that saw them slump into mid-table.

Although much of the improvement is down to the inspired form of veteran trio Roy Keane, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs, the platform for the mid-campaign surge has been a superb defensive effort.

Sunday’s clean sheet against Bolton was United’s 12th during a run of 18 matches in all competitions that has seen them concede just 11 goals.

So, while they remain nine points adrift of Chelsea and still in fourth spot, behind Arsenal and Everton at the halfway stage of the season, confidence within the Old Trafford camp is soaring.

“We are in high spirits just now because the results have been going so well,” said Northern Ireland international Carroll.