MICHAEL Carrick will look back on the home win over Aston Villa earlier this month as the moment when Manchester United sealed the Premier League title.

Carrick is refusing to get carried away with United’s lofty status but after Wednesday’s victory over Portsmouth, few would be against Sir Alex Ferguson’s men going on to complete a record-equalling 18th title.

And if they do, Carrick will know exactly when the battle began to turn in the Red Devils’ favour.

‘‘Sometimes in a season you get a feeling that one moment is going to make all the difference,’’ said the England midfielder.

‘‘Aston Villa was one of them. It was a huge win.

‘‘We were losing and ended up with Federico Macheda and Danny Welbeck up front.

‘‘At that point people wouldn’t have given us much hope. Getting a victory that day gave a massive lift to everyone and since then things have gone well.’’ A week ago, Carrick knows Liverpool were being heavily tipped as potential champions.

So, just because Rafael Benitez’s men were involved in another amazing eightgoal thriller against Arsenal on Tuesday and have now slipped three points adrift of the Red Devils having played a game more, Carrick is refusing to take a title hattrick for granted.

‘‘We are only talking about one game,’’ he said.

‘‘In a lot of people’s eyes last week we were not going to win the title. All of a sudden the same people are now saying it is a given.

‘‘There are a lot of matches to play and there may be more twists and turns.

‘‘Hopefully there aren’t.

Hopefully we win every game. But we can’t get too disappointed or too carried away with individual results.

‘‘That is the attitude will see us through.’’ United are set to welcome Wes Brown back against Tottenham tomorrow.