When Carrick, 32, hangs up his boots he is unlikely to be bracketed alongside the very best talents that have graced United's midfield ranks over the years.
Yet his record at the Old Trafford club, where he has won five league titles and a Champions League since joining in 2006, mean he ranks among their most successful midfield servants and he has now committed to United through to 2015.
His game, based on the steady retention of possession and tactical discipline, does not set pulses racing, while he lacks many of the qualities traditionally exulted in the English game.
He tends not to make gut-busting box-to-box bursts or ripple the net with speculative long-range efforts and his value to the club is often only apparent when his name is missing from the team sheet.
"During my short time at the club it hasn't been hard to notice that Michael is a great reader of the game and has excellent passing ability," United manager Moyes said on the club website (www.manutd.com) on Friday.
"He is an exceptional man and a true professional and it's great that he has committed himself to the club."
After paying 18 million pounds ($29.14 million) to sign him from Tottenham Hotspur in 2006, former boss Alex Ferguson kept faith with the player in the face of frequent calls from fans to strengthen the heart of the midfield.
His trust was richly repaid, as Carrick has anchored United to league titles in five of his seven seasons at the club, a Champions League trophy in 2008 while they reached another two Champions League finals in 2009 and 2011.
After a jittery start to this season, fifth-placed United, who are five points behind leaders Arsenal, have the chance to extend their unbeaten run to 10 games when they visit Cardiff City on Sunday and confidence is high.
"We came off a couple of good results and sometimes you want the games to come thick and fast," Moyes told reporters.
"You can't do anything about the international break, whether you win or lose going into it. We're on a good run of form, we're feeling good at the moment, we have confidence about us and we want to try and keep that going."
Centre back Nemanja Vidic is fit to play after being forced off the pitch with concussion in their victory over Arsenal before the international break.
"Concussion is something which you do need to rest. He's had his rest and we'll bring him back and hopefully he'll be fine. It's not a serious injury," Moyes added.
(Reporting by Toby Davis; editing by Justin Palmer)
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