Manchester United have decided to retain Michael Carrick as head coach following a review of the team's poor start to the Premier League season. The club's senior leadership, including Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox, held a meeting on Monday and concluded Carrick should be given more time to improve results.
Carrick was appointed permanently after a successful interim spell last season, guiding the team to a third-placed finish and a return to the Champions League. Rewarding that faith has not worked so far this term, with United currently 16th in the Premier League on just seven points from eight games. Their recent form reads five matches without a win, including back-to-back losses to Como and Bournemouth.
Team performance and position
United's miserable early-season form has seen them drop into the bottom five of the table. They have won only once in the league and once in Europe across 12 total matches this campaign. The 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday was a particular low, with fans booing the players as they left the pitch, though Carrick's name was sung by sections of the home crowd. The team's struggles are quantified by the fact they have conceded 18 goals already this season, while scoring only 9. This negative goal difference of -9 is a key factor in their lowly league position.
Captain Bruno Fernandes and defender Lisandro Martinez have both spoken out this month, with Fernandes criticising tactical approaches after a Champions League defeat. The players had appeared more relaxed following the sacking of previous manager Ruben Amorim, but results have not followed. The team's underlying statistics are also concerning, with United averaging only 43% possession across their Premier League matches, the third-lowest figure in the division.
Upcoming challenges
The decision represents a stay of execution for Carrick, who now faces a critical run of fixtures. United travel to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with the Blues sitting fifth in the standings. Matches against Roma, Aston Villa, Liverpool and Brentford follow in a packed November schedule.
Persistent speculation linking the club with former Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann or ex-Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has proved unfounded for now. The hierarchy's choice is a surprise given the immediate results, but they are backing the coach who secured Champions League football last season. United's next match, away to Chelsea on October 31, is now key for Carrick to demonstrate tangible progress. The club's leadership is understood to be looking for a clear improvement in both performances and results during this demanding period before conducting another review.
The report in full is at Yahoo Sports
