Michael Carrick will remain in charge of Manchester United for Sunday’s Premier League clash against AFC Bournemouth at Old Trafford, despite mounting pressure following an embarrassing 4-1 defeat to Como in the UEFA Champions League. The lopsided loss in Italy has intensified scrutiny surrounding the manager, but club authorities have decided against making an immediate managerial change ahead of the weekend. Carrick will front the media at his scheduled pre-match press conference on Friday as United attempt to halt a disastrous tailspin that has seen them claim just two victories in 11 matches across all competitions this season.
Wednesday night’s defeat at the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium marked a severe low point in United’s campaign. Como dominated possession throughout the contest, completing 594 passes—the highest tally recorded by an opponent against Manchester United in a Champions League fixture since Barcelona completed 725 in April 2019. The loss was further compounded by post-match revelations from Como manager Cesc Fabregas, who admitted he regretted instructing his players to stop running late in the game to save energy, a period which allowed Joshua Zirkzee to score a consolation goal for United in injury time. Following the final whistle, Carrick acknowledged Fabregas before walking across the pitch to raise his hands in apology to the traveling fans who had stayed through the rain.
The defeat leaves United on a troubling seven-game winless streak in all competitions, having suffered two losses in their opening three Champions League league phase matches. Despite the dreadful run of form and increasing doubts regarding his long-term tenure, Carrick maintained after the match that he has not given his position at the club any thought. Replacements are waiting in the background as pressure mounts on the English manager, but he is set to lead the team out at Old Trafford on Sunday, where only a positive result against Bournemouth will stem the growing crisis.
Internal friction has also surfaced in the wake of the European collapse, with team captain Bruno Fernandes publicly criticizing the coaching staff’s tactical instructions. Fernandes highlighted that giving the ball away too easily allowed Como to build confidence and force United into relentless defensive running, exhausting the players’ legs and minds. Carrick, who described the team’s performance as unacceptable, offered a direct rebuttal to his captain’s critique. Carrick noted that United actually executed a man-to-man half-press in the second half before conceding, pointing instead to a lack of core work rate across the pitch. He emphasized that regardless of the system or tactics used, a team cannot win if the players fail to run forward and back.
