‘Business’—Man Utd Make Michael Carrick Sack Decision After Como Disaster

Despite Manchester United’s dreadful run of form to start the season, Michael Carrick’s job is reportedly safe for now.

The pressure has been gradually increasing on the English manager with each passing week the Red Devils fail to collect three points, and he is firmly under fire following the club’s embarrassing 4–1 defeat to Como on Wednesday.

United are now winless in their last seven matches across all competitions, and have just two wins in 2026–27, which came against the recently promoted Ipswich Town and Champions League debutants Sabah.

Past managers have been fired for less, but Carrick woke up Thursday morning still in charge. The Daily Mail report it’s “business as usual” for the manager, who is expected to hold his typical pregame press conference on Friday for United’s league clash with Bournemouth.

Carrick will no doubt face more questions about job security, as well as any follow-up thoughts on Bruno Fernandes’s incendiary comments concerning the team’s tactics in the lopsided Como defeat.

Man Utd’s Potentially Sinister Reason for Keeping Carrick

From the outside looking in, it appears the club still has faith in Carrick to turn things around despite the Red Devils’ dismal run of form and public pushback from the likes of Fernandes and Lisandro Martínez.

It’s hard to deny, especially after United didn’t cut ties with Carrick following Wednesday’s Champions League disaster. The manner in which his team lost, combined with their other recent results and performances, would have been more than enough cause to sack the 45-year-old.

But the club could have ulterior motives for leaving Carrick in charge for at least this weekend’s Bournemouth game. The Daily Mail suggests the decision “buys United time” to solidify a replacement.

Antonio Conte and Julian Nagelsmann are the two most recent names linked with the job, along with Fabian Hürzeler.

A new boss would mark the eighth permanent manager in United’s dugout since the departure of the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013.

The Games Don’t Get Easier for Man Utd

Carrick and United are desperate for a lifeline, but their schedule is unrelenting. It’s not a great sign when the club’s best chance of a win before the November international break comes against Bournemouth, a team who has taken points from the Red Devils in their last six meetings.

Then, the 20-time English champions are headed to Stamford Bridge, where the likes of Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and João Pedro will be giddy at the chance to attack United’s bumbling backline.

After Chelsea comes a Champions League battle with Roma, who have lost just one match—a clash with Real Madrid they should have won—across all competitions this season. Rounding out the fixtures is a date with an Aston Villa side that has seemingly found their form after a poor start to the season.

By the time United return from the international window to take on Liverpool at Anfield, they could be in an even worse position than they are now.

Man Utd’s Next Five Fixtures