Predicting Michael Carrick and Man Utd’s fortunes for the next three fixtures

Michael Carrick has been given the chance to turn a dire situation around at Manchester United with the team currently on an eight-game winless run and one point adrift of the Premier League relegation zone.

These are dark days at Manchester United. The football club has been grossly mismanaged for over 20 years, and fans are talking about the worst team they’ve witnessed in the years supporting the club. They’re fans who can cast their minds back generations – before the glory days under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Michael Carrick has been under the cosh all season, but most felt it was goodbye on Sunday, after United lost 3-0 to Bournemouth at Old Trafford. The fans rallied behind Carrick, while their frustrations were aimed at the ownership and players who they felt had let the head coach down.

The under-pressure United head coach was thought to be on the brink, but he has been given a chance to turn things around at Old Trafford, as he did after arriving as an interim manager to replace Ruben Amorim in January. With three matches to play before the next international break, here is a look at each fixture and what we should expect from them.

Chelsea away

Without being brilliant, Chelsea have shown positive signs under Xabi Alonso, but they can be got at defensively. They sit fourth in the Premier League table and will be favourites to beat United at Stamford Bridge.

This doesn’t give United a pass not to show up. The players are under the microscope of frustrated fans who are taking Carrick’s side after a shocking start to the season. They need to respond, perform and come away from London with at least a point on Saturday.

Chelsea have 13 points after seven games and should be in the mix for a Champions League spot in May, especially if they can progress under Alonso throughout the season. Their form has dipped since their 3-0 defeat to Brentford on 18 September.

However, there are no guarantees that Ineos will be backing Carrick a week or two from now, if the performances and results are as bad as they were against Como and Bournemouth. He needs to get something out of these players in the upcoming matches – starting at Chelsea.

It bodes well that Carrick is unbeaten in his two matches against Chelsea as United head coach. The first came in November 2021 when he stood in as caretaker manager, winning 1-0. Last season, Carrick’s United came away from a trip to Stamford Bridge with a point after drawing 1-1.

Chelsea will be watching United’s previous matches and they won’t struggle to find weaknesses. The Reds need to be up for it and willing to go to battle for Carrick.

Roma in the Champions League

United have won just one of their first three matches in Europe this season. Getting back into the Champions League is one thing, but the challenge for United has been staying in it. A defeat at home to Roma could prove costly in the quest to reach the knockout phase of the prestigious competition.

Carrick will be coming up against the best coach in Italy right now, Gian Piero Gasperini, who arrived at Roma last season and has them sitting third in Serie A. The 68-year-old, who won the Europa League at Atalanta, has got former Aston Villa forward Donyell Malen scoring goals (9 in 10 matches this season) and they will be eager to come away from Old Trafford with three points against a struggling United side.

• Gian Piero Gasperini record against Man Utd
• Games: 2
• Wins: 0
• Draws: 1
• Losses: 1

These are just some of the hurdles that Carrick’s United side will face against the Italians. He will know the importance of winning your home matches in Europe, too, especially after losing 4-0 to Como away from home. Without downplaying the task, United need three points from their meeting with Roma. There can be no excuses as Carrick’s job will be dependent on getting results in these matches. United can’t keep losing.

Unai Emery’s Aston Villa side come to Old Trafford

As a manager tipped by some pundits as a good fit for United, should the owners eventually sack Carrick, Unai Emery will be keen to pile more pressure on his opposing coach by taking three points from their trip to Old Trafford. I wouldn’t go as far as to say it will be an audition for the pragmatic Spaniard because United are unlikely to pay the money required to take him away from Villa, but he’s taking joy from beating United in the past. I can’t see him being anything but determined to do so again.

• Unai Emery’s record against Man Utd
• Games: 18
• Wins: 4
• Draws: 4
• Losses: 10

Emery is in the process of rebuilding his team at Villa. After a slow start to the campaign, which included losses to Brighton and Arsenal, they’ve bounced back by earning seven points from their last three games. Still, this is undoubtedly Carrick’s best chance at winning a game in the next run of three fixtures.

Carrick has managed one game against Villa as United head coach, with the Reds winning 3-1 in March. The goals came from Casemiro, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko. He needs a repeat of that result without two of those players (unless Sesko returns from injury in time) and, seemingly, having fallen out with Cunha.

There is a lot at stake here, as there was in recent matches where the players performed abysmally, almost costing the manager his job. Carrick won’t keep getting time if results stay the same.