Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick has stated that his side must ignore the controversies that threaten to blight their fixture against Liverpool on Sunday and focus on football.

The Premier League rivals go head-to-head at Anfield at the weekend with the revelations of the truth behind the Hillsborough disaster fresh in the memory.

With Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra, who were embroiled in a race row last season, set to go head-to-head also, it promises to be an emotional fixture on Merseyside.

However, Carrick, who scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win over Galatasaray on Wednesday, wants the Red Devils to concentrate on the matter at hand.

"After what has gone on there is added responsibility on the players for everything to go smoothly," the England playmaker told Sky Sports.

"We will be doing our utmost to make sure that is the case.

"It is a heated game because it is a great football match. That is what should be celebrated really.

"It is a rivalry of two great clubs with great histories and traditions. It is what makes the game so special, a classic game worldwide.

"Hopefully it will be a cracking game of football because it is vital that after Sunday, everyone is talking about the football," he concluded.

By Gareth McKnight