Michael Carrick will get another chance to steady the ship at Manchester United with the club having no plans to sack him before Saturday’s game at Chelsea.
United chiefs have spent two days assessing Carrick’s role at Old Trafford following the weekend defeat to Bournemouth but have opted against dismissing him and he will instead prepare the squad for the game at Stamford Bridge.
The news comes as something of a surprise given the game against Bournemouth was supposed to be Carrick’s final opportunity coming just five days after a 4-1 humbling at Como in the Champions League.
United produced another lifeless performance against the Cherries, who could have won by a much larger margin than 3-0, a result that left Carrick’s side fifth bottom of the Premier League with just seven points from eight games.
The former England midfielder has presided over United’s worst top-flight start in 40 years and their worst of the Premier League era.
United will head to Chelsea on the back of an eight-game winless run in all competitions. They are not in EFL Cup action this week having been knocked out by Brighton.
Carrick has dilemma over United skipper Fernandes
Carrick was at the club’s Carrington training ground yesterday to watch United’s Under-21 side in a behind-closed-doors against Hull and took training as normal on Tuesday.
It was his first interaction with the first-team squad following Sunday’s game after which he appeared to say an emotional farewell to the United supporters, who sang his name before turning their ire on the players.
Carrick has a big decision to make regarding Bruno Fernandes’ involvement against Chelsea. The captain was left on the bench for the Bournemouth game after questioning the manager’s tactics in the defeat to Como.
He failed to make an appearance despite United’s struggles with Carrick instead bringing on the likes of Joshua Zirkzee and Shea Lacey.
It seems inconceivable the current PFA Player of the Year will start among the substitutes against Chelsea with Carrick’s job one again on the line.
If it does go wrong against Xabi Alonso’s men then United could be forced to make a change even though the contenders to succeed Carrick at Old Trafford look largely uninspiring.
The list is headed by Eddie Howe, who won one EFL Cup at Newcastle despite a lavish spending spree under their Saudi Arabian owners, and also contains the likes of Antonio Conte and Julian Nagelsmann.
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