Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has insisted he remains confident of turning around the club’s poor run of form, despite mounting pressure following a humiliating defeat to Como and growing questions over his leadership.
Carrick described United’s 4-1 loss to Champions League debutants Como on Wednesday as “totally unacceptable”. The defeat extended the club’s winless run to seven games, leaving the manager under increasing scrutiny ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash with Bournemouth at Old Trafford.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday, the former England midfielder admitted that United had lost their direction but insisted he could restore the team’s confidence and performances.
“We’re in a moment where it’s not going well, so we need to show exactly what it means. Respect this football club, respect what it takes to be here, and respect what it takes to win and what you have to do to win,” Carrick said.
“We’ve kind of lost our way a little bit, if I’m totally honest, and we’ll get it back. I’m totally confident we’ll get it back.”
Carrick was appointed Manchester United’s permanent manager five months ago after impressing during a successful interim spell in the second half of last season. However, the team’s recent performances have raised doubts about his ability to maintain that progress.
United are enduring their worst start to a season in the Premier League era, have been eliminated from the League Cup by Brighton and have lost two of their opening three Champions League matches.
The club’s struggles have also sparked tensions within the squad, with captain Bruno Fernandes publicly questioning Carrick’s tactics following the defeat to Como.
Fernandes criticised the team’s approach as too passive, prompting questions about whether he would retain the captain’s armband. However, Carrick declined to clarify the Portuguese midfielder’s future when repeatedly asked about the issue.
“The most important thing for me is the team; first and foremost, it is the squad, and it is the dynamics in the squad,” Carrick said.
“Again, it’s about the football club. I always do what’s best for the football club.”
The disagreement followed criticism from defender Lisandro Martinez, who had taken aim at the club’s board over what he viewed as insufficient investment in the transfer market.
Carrick is the latest manager attempting to revive the fortunes of the 20-time English champions since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. Manchester United have not won the Premier League or Champions League since Ferguson’s departure.
When Carrick took charge on a short-term deal in January, he guided United back into the Champions League for the first time in three years after securing a third-place finish in the Premier League.
However, the team has struggled to reproduce that form this season. Its only two victories in 11 matches across all competitions have come against newly promoted Ipswich and Azerbaijani side Sabah.
Reflecting on the contrast between last season’s progress and the current slump, Carrick acknowledged that the team had fallen below expectations.
“Recently we haven’t had a good time. I totally accept that. We had five months of relative success in a spell where I was happy with a lot of things we were doing as a team,” he said.
“We haven’t done well enough lately. We’ve had a spell we’re really not happy with. Como was a bad night. It hurt me. It was really unacceptable.”
The manager also expressed sympathy for supporters who spend their time and money following the team, admitting that the defeat to Como had been particularly painful.
He said his responsibility was to ensure that United played in a way that supporters could respect and feel proud of, adding that he was already working to address the team’s recent shortcomings.
Sunday’s meeting with Bournemouth could prove important for Carrick as he attempts to halt the losing trend, rebuild confidence within the squad and ease the growing pressure surrounding his position.
