Manchester United have decided to stick with Michael Carrick after a turbulent 48 hours at Old Trafford that left even his own coaching staff wondering whether they would survive. The head coach will take charge of Saturday’s trip to Chelsea, with United sitting 16th in the Premier League table — but the coming fixtures may decide his fate.
Michael Carrick (Credits: BBC Sport)
Inside the Turbulent 48 Hours at Old Trafford
When Carrick disappeared down the tunnel after Sunday’s defeat to Bournemouth at Old Trafford, support for the legendary former player turned to hostility and anger at the current squad. The atmosphere afterwards was said to be emotional, with Carrick the last to leave the stadium — patiently posing for selfies and signing shirts for the fans who remained on what had been a foul day weather-wise, and an awful one on the pitch.
Asked after the match if he expected to be in charge for the Chelsea trip, Carrick said he was not expecting anything in particular and was carrying on as normal. Few felt that was sustainable. Even members of his coaching team wondered whether they would survive the fallout.
Why Man Utd Decided to Keep Michael Carrick — For Now
Carrick had been treading water since the crushing 4-1 defeat at Como on October 21, described as one of the worst European nights in club history. Respected fan voice Andy Mitten called the performance an affront to the name of Manchester United. Captain Bruno Fernandes then publicly questioned Carrick’s tactics and the coaches’ inability to spot what was going wrong, a week after defender Lisandro Martinez said he had expected more investment in the squad and more from technical director Jason Wilcox.
On Monday morning, when many expected an announcement ending Carrick’s tenure, a senior figure at the club said calmness and a clear head would be needed to navigate the turbulence. Feeling it would look reactionary and impulsive to remove Carrick based on the negativity of one game, United had stuck with him for Bournemouth — only for that performance to arguably be worse than the one in Italy. Fernandes, dropped to the bench, later liked an Instagram post carrying the caption: “Never push a loyal person to the point where they no longer care.”
What Comes Next for Carrick at Manchester United?
United have now decided Carrick and his players will have the chance to turn the situation around, with no timescale put on it. But the fixtures come thick and fast: Chelsea on Saturday, a crucial Champions League match against Roma three days later, then an in-form Aston Villa before a two-week international break. Nobody at the club is saying so, but that break would be the most obvious time to decide if a change of coach is required.
Late on Sunday night, BBC Sport understood no final decision to sack Carrick had been made, and the judgement stretched into Monday. On Monday, chief executive Omar Berrada and Wilcox were at Carrington discussing the immediate future, with minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family understood to be part of those discussions. By early evening it was clear there would be no update — and Carrick’s arrival at Carrington at 07:30 on Tuesday signalled he would take training as normal.
Also Read: Carrick to Stay in Charge of Man Utd for Chelsea Game After Eight Matches Without a Win | Howe and Nagelsmann High on Man Utd’s List if Carrick Sacked
Source: BBC Sport — read the full story there.
