Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has paid a glowing tribute to Liverpool veteran Jamie Carragher.

Carragher will retire after Sunday's game with QPR.

Speaking as part of a documentary about the 35-year-old, Ferguson said: "He's absolutely a player I admire. He's the epitome of a loyal, dedicated player who Liverpool have been lucky to have for more than a decade.

"He's been a bedrock of their defensive qualities for years and years. I loved him. He's a fantastic example for any young lad that wants to play the game. He's been a really, really good professional.

"He's absolutely the type of player a manager wants. I used to rave about Brucie [Steve Bruce] and the nine years he had with us, and I think Jamie Carragher is that exact same mould - can play with injuries, gets knocked about and gets back up, hardly misses a game.

"You're lucky to have players like that. I was lucky to have Steve Bruce and he is the same type of player. A fantastic player."