"Of course you want that first team football," said Carroll. "Everybody talks about 'second fiddle' and fair enough to those who do look upon me as that, but I think I am number one and I feel like number one. That is how I felt at the time I came to United and I have tried my best and never seen myself as a number two because if you do there is no point in being a footballer. I just get on with it. I have got a year left on my contract and you never know what is round the corner from there."