Dimitar Berbatov has taken out his frustration after what he described as “the worst week of my life”, providing the assist for Carlos Tevez’s winner against Stoke City and striking the decisive goal against Middlesbrough.

The Bulgarian front man was struck down with a virus which caused him to miss United’s FIFA Club World Cup success in Japan. “Personally, it was the worst week of my life. It was bad for me but in the end it ended happily for the team,” he said.

He has since struck back with a vengeance with an impress, match-winning display against Middlesbrough to see out 2008 with a victory.

“It was a very important win,” he told MUTV. “It was a must-win game for us and I am glad that we won it. We were the better team and had so many chances to score.

“In the end we scored just once, but it was enough to take the three points. Sometimes 1-0 is enough, and the three points are the most important thing.”

The win takes United seven points behind league leaders Liverpool, but Berbatov is confident the Reds are right in the hunt for the title.

“We are there, we are right there,” he added. “We can win it and we have two games in hand. When we win them it will be good for us, but in the end I think it’s in our hands.

“Personally I have plenty more to show. But I’ll keep working and with the help of the guys I think we can do a lot.”

Versatile defender David Gray has joined Reds team-mate Craig Cathcart on loan at Championship outfit Plymouth Argyle.

Gray, 20, has played six times this season for United's Reserves but will spend the rest of the 2008/09 season at Home Park.

He completed the move on New Year's Day before joining his new team-mates on the training ground.

Cathcart, another defender, has been at Plymouth since August and has played 19 times for Paul Sturrock's side. His loan, initially due to finish at the end of 2008, has been extended until 30 June 2009.

Plymouth Argyle begin 2009 in 15th position in the Championship, however the team's first test comes with an FA Cup tie against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday 3 January.

Michael Carrick says United won't be backslapping as the curtain comes down on a glorious 2008, insisting the Reds must immediately gear up for another trophy charge in 2009.

Victory over Middlesbrough on Monday night has put Sir Alex’s men well in contention in the title race going into the New Year. Seven points off leaders Liverpool with two games in hand means United are ideally placed to push for a third consecutive Premier League crown.

The turn of the year is normally a time for reflection, but Carrick is only looking forward. “This year has been incredible,” Michael told MUTV. “To be able to set out and achieve everything we wanted to do – winning three major trophies – is very special, something to remember.

“But, as players, we can look back on that at the end of our careers. That’s when we take it all in. Now we want to strive to achieve more and more. Hopefully 2009 will be even better.

“We said that if we were in touch with the leaders after Christmas we’d be happy. We’ve had a funny first half to the season for different reasons. But we’re in touch now and it’s up to us. If we can keep winning we’ll be right in there.”

United have scored five goals in three of the last 12 matches, but otherwise goals haven’t exactly been forthcoming, with three tight 1-0 wins on the bounce. But Carrick remains unperturbed.

“I’d rather have missed chances than none at all,” he added. “We’ve got the players to put the chances away and I’m sure they’ll start flying in for us. But success sometimes means winning 1-0 in some games. Hopefully we can keep that going.

“We had a spell last season where we were winning 1-0 for five or six games in a row. The wins all count at the end of the season. They can’t all be big results. It’s not all about scoring three, four, and five.

"For us it’s about getting the momentum going and putting a winning run together. We want to build on that in the New Year.

“We’ve had two tough games against Stoke and Middlesbrough, but we’ve come through with two wins. Hopefully we can look ahead to a good rest of the season.”