Michael Carrick is staying as Manchester United head coach for now after being given the chance to turn the club’s season around.Carrick will remain in charge for Saturday’s trip to Chelsea after Old Trafford bosses decided not to sack him with United in 16th place in the Premier League table, one point clear of the relegation zone.The 45-year-old still faces a battle to improve results and performances and convince his employers that he remains the right man for the job.Sources confirmed that Carrick has been given a second chance, and said that everyone is focused on showing a response on the pitch at Stamford Bridge following United’s worst start to a league season in 40 years.It followed a period of intense speculation over Carrick’s future since Sunday’s 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth at Old Trafford left United without a win in eight games.The United boss was left in limbo after chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox held crisis talks on Monday with minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co-chairmen Joel and Avram Glazer. Michael Carrick arrived at Carrington to take training on Tuesday morning with his fate still up in the air – but the club have decided to keep him as manager Bruno Fernandes – dropped for the Bournemouth game after criticising the manager’s tactics – stops outside training, before news broke that Carrick was staying Director of football Jason Wilcox drives into Carrington today after spending Monday discussing Carrick’s future
The first indications that Carrick had earned a reprieve came shortly before 8am on Tuesday when he arrived at Carrington dressed in a club tracksuit and oversaw training as the players returned after a day off.He had also turned up at the training ground on Monday but was there to watch United’s Under-21s play in a behind-closed-doors game against Hull City alongside his No2 Steve Holland and Under-18s coach Darren Fletcher. He stayed for three hours before leaving with his son Jacey, a member of United’s Under-18s.Carrick’s job had been hanging by a thread after losing half of his 12 games this season. He was visibly emotional after the defeat to Bournemouth when the fans gave him a rousing show of support while directing their fury at the Glazers, Ratcliffe, Wilcox and the players.The former United midfielder appeared to say farewell to supporters afterwards, although he later insisted that was not the case.It followed a heartfelt five-minute monologue to reporters at the start of his pre-match press conference on Friday, two days after he approached the travelling fans in Como to apologise for a 4-1 defeat.United’s decision to stick with Carrick amid speculation they were lining up Eddie Howe or Julian Nagelsmann to replace him is reminiscent of the situation with Erik ten Hag before the 2024 FA Cup final. Ten Hag kept his job by winning at Wembley but was gone five months later.Club legend Wayne Rooney earlier launched a furious tirade at the United players who he believes have let his down his former team-mate.’At least I ran and worked hard and put myself about for the team,’ he said on The United Stand. ‘I don’t think the players have got a leg to stand on. What’s not fair is the performances they’re giving.’I was a player who could score a goal, had a bit of ability but at least I f***ing ran and worked hard, put myself about for the team even when it’s going tough. These players are not doing that.’I’d love to go in that dressing room. I’d love to go in that dressing room, f***ing sit them all down and say “what the f are you doing? What type of performance do you think this is? Do you think you deserve to wear that shirt?” Put a f****ing firework up their a**e because they’re f***ing not doing anything.’