Carrick tips Giggs for landmark

Michael Carrick is backing Ryan Giggs to smash Manchester United's all-time appearance record.

Giggs is now within 60 of Sir Bobby Charlton's club best 759 and the Welshman should take another stride towards the figure in Wednesday's Champions League return with Lille at Old Trafford.

At a time when the freedom of contract rules mean players switch clubs with far greater frequency than in years gone by, Giggs' longevity is remarkable.

Carrick is in only his first season as a team-mate of Giggs. Yet already the former Tottenham star can see exactly why the 33-year-old has been so successful.

And, although it is realistically going to be the beginning of the 2008-09 campaign before Giggs reaches the landmark, Carrick sees no reason why the winger cannot get there.

"I would love to see him go over the line," said the England midfielder.

"The respect he has throughout the game is enormous and, having seen Ryan go about his business, I can see how he has achieved such big things.

"To play so many games in this era, with the tempo of the game and the amount of matches you play in such a short space of time, is incredible.

"Probably it is only when he stops playing that people will start to look back at what he has done and place him in the higher level of talent, where he should be. That is why I hope he does go on to break Sir Bobby's record."

It was Giggs' quick-thinking which earned United their narrow first-leg advantage from the stormy trip to France.

Twice Lille have appealed against the goal - and twice they have had it rejected by UEFA.

The sense of indignation remains, as do memories of their apparent walk-off and the ugly scenes that erupted in the United section of the crowd - when French police fired tear gas, mistaking overcrowding for unrest.

It all adds up to a potentially explosive atmosphere on Wednesday night, although Carrick insists the players' minds will be fully focussed on securing a quarter-final berth.

"There is no bad feeling from me," he said.

"I am concentrating on the football side of it. That is all you can do as a player. It is a great opportunity for us to progress and we want to take it."

Although United's position appears healthy, Carrick knows Lille are dangerous opponents, having played a major role in dumping Sir Alex Ferguson's men out in the group stages last season.

"It is going to be very difficult," he said. "They gave us a tough time out there. They had a few chances but couldn't quite put them away.

"I know we have the away goal but one-nil is a funny scoreline.

"We have to be on our guard, go about our business in the right way and make sure we finish the job off."