Michael Carrick’s future as Manchester United manager has come under serious doubt after the Red Devils suffered a 2-0 defeat to Chelsea in Saturday’s Premier League fixture at Stamford Bridge.
United missed several opportunities to take the lead before Morgan Rogers broke the deadlock for the hosts in the 50th minute.
Lisandro Martínez then dealt a further blow to Carrick’s side’s hopes of a comeback when he received two quickfire yellow cards. The second dismissal also resulted in a penalty, which Cole Palmer converted to seal the victory for Chelsea.
Winless in nine games, United remain just one point above the relegation zone and risk ending the weekend in the bottom three.
Carrick, however, said he expects to remain in charge for Tuesday’s Champions League fixture against Roma.
“The two halves of football couldn’t probably be further apart,” the United manager said. “We looked in a good place going into half-time and then found a way of unravelling it in the second half.”
Many had expected Carrick to be dismissed following United’s 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth last weekend. Instead, the former United midfielder was given another opportunity to turn the team’s fortunes around, but will rue his players’ failure to convert their first-half chances.
Carrick recalled captain Bruno Fernandes after leaving him out of the squad last weekend, following the midfielder’s criticism of his manager’s tactics during a 4-1 Champions League defeat to Como.
Fernandes squandered an opportunity to put United ahead when he blazed over from Bryan Mbeumo’s inviting cross.
The roles were reversed when Mbeumo failed to stretch far enough to meet Fernandes’s delivery at the back post. Amad Diallo then had two efforts denied by Chelsea’s stand-in goalkeeper, Mike Penders.
United eventually found the net when Matheus Cunha turned Harry Maguire’s header from a corner, but the Brazilian was ruled offside.
Carrick made little attempt to hide his frustration during his half-time interview with broadcasters. His mood would worsen considerably after United’s disastrous start to the second half.
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