Carrick stays at Manchester United despite poor form

Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 31 Oct, 10:04 · Archive

Manchester United have kept Michael Carrick as manager after a 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth left them one point above the relegation zone.

Manchester United have decided to keep Michael Carrick as manager despite widespread expectations he would be sacked following a 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth on Sunday. The loss left the club 16th in the Premier League with just two wins from 12 matches in all competitions this season. United are now one point above the relegation zone, and have managed only seven points from eight league games, their worst start to a league season in 40 years.

Carrick, 45, will remain in charge for Saturday's away match against Chelsea. The decision came after intense speculation about his position, particularly following a 4-1 Champions League defeat at Como the previous week, in which captain Bruno Fernandes criticised the tactics employed. Fernandes was dropped for the Bournemouth match but the pair have since held talks to clear the air.

Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville suggested the club's indecision had led to the choice to retain Carrick. Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Neville said: 'I reckon what's happened in the 24 hours after Bournemouth is that they've literally debated it back and forth...they've debated it to the point where they've got themselves into a muddle, and thought, we'll just stay with him.' He attributed the decision to 'the lack of planning, the lack of probably available options, the lack of decision-making'.

Neville added that 'sometimes a manager needs sacking for their own good', citing his own dismissal from Valencia as an example. He also criticised some players for unprofessional behaviour, suggesting some did not maintain proper standards in their personal lives.

Carrick rejected these claims, saying he had not encountered the unprofessional behaviour Neville described. He met with players after they returned to training on Tuesday and said he was 'right in there with them' and would 'go through this together'. According to the Daily Mail, he said 'No, I haven't' when asked about unprofessional conduct, adding 'Gaz says a lot things!'

Al Jazeera reports that Neville believes the root of United's problems lies with the Glazer family ownership and has urged them to sell the club. Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann have been touted as possible replacements for Carrick at Old Trafford.

How it is being reported

• Michael Carrick gives Gary Neville blunt response over damning claim about Man Utd starsGary Neville made headlines following Manchester United's 3-0 loss against Bournemouth last Sunday by accusing some players of being unprofessional, hitting out at the 'lack of standards'Mirror Sport · 31 Oct, 09:47
• Michael Carrick hits back at Gary Neville after his former Man United team-mate accused players of being unprofessional - and opens up on crunch meeting with struggling starsCHRIS WHEELER: Michael Carrick has rejected claims that his Manchester United stars have been unprofessional, and vowed to stand by them in the face of fierce criticism.Daily Mail Sport · 30 Oct, 22:30
• Neville says managers need sacking ‘for own good’ as Man Utd retain CarrickFormer Manchester United captain Gary Neville believes root of team’s problems is Glazer family, urges them to sell up.Al Jazeera · 29 Oct, 13:53
• Sometimes managers needs sacking for own good - NevilleGary Neville says managers sometimes need to be sacked "for their own good" as Manchester United persist with under-pressure boss Michael Carrick.BBC News · 29 Oct, 11:00

In this story: Michael Carrick · Manchester United · Gary Neville · Bruno Fernandes · Bournemouth · Chelsea · Eddie Howe · Julian Nagelsmann

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log