Michael Carrick will continue in his role Manchester United for Sunday’s game with Bournemouth.
There has been an element of uncertainty surrounding his position following last night’s Champions League defeat by Como, but United have confirmed this afternoon that Carrick will speak to the media on Friday at 1.30pm in his usual pre-match press conference.
If United were considering a move before the weekend, it is highly unlikely that the former Middlesbrough boss would be able to speak.
Carrick has presided over United’s worst league start in 40 years with his team won only one of the first seven games. And his position weakened further after the Como game with captain Bruno Fernandes questioning his tactics.
Fernandes said TNT Sports: “It’s a squad decision not to press man-to-man and sometimes leave space behind and try to get the ball, but sometimes when you give these teams the ball too much they gain confidence.”
Asked if Carrick got his tactics wrong, Fernandes added: “That’s up to the manager and the staff to see, not me. Sometimes you have to be braver under pressure, risk pressing high and make them uncomfortable.”
Carrick was uncharacteristically blunt when asked later about Fernandes’ comments, saying: “There’s a bit of any system you play, whatever tactics you play, if you don’t run, and you don’t run forward, and you don’t run back, you’re not going to win.”
Sympathy for Carrick from United board
There is reportedly an element of sympathy for Carrick’s position among the US hierarchy although the BBC today suggested that replacements are already being identified.
The problem is that the potential successors are not particularly inspiring while United’s board also accept their role in what was an underwhelming summer window that left the squad with just one specialist left-back and no support for number nine Benjamin Sesko.
Eddie Howe, Antonio Conte and Julian Nagelsmann are out of work and would jump at the chance to take over at Old Trafford. Other potential targets, Unai Emery and Fabian Hurzeler, are under contract at Aston Villa and Brighton respectively, and would require significant compensation to attract them.
United have a nasty run of fixtures, starting this weekend against a Bournemouth side whose athleticism could cause Carrick’s men problems. Their next league games are against Chelsea, Aston Villa and Liverpool.
