Carrick rejects idea Manchester United are unmanageable ahead of Bournemouth test
Michael Carrick insists Manchester United can be managed effectively despite a seven-game winless run, player criticism and mounting pressure before Bournemouth visit Old Trafford.
Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has rejected the suggestion that the Old Trafford job is impossible to manage, as he prepares his side for Sunday's Premier League home match against Bournemouth. Carrick is under heavy pressure after a run of seven games without a win, and the scrutiny has intensified following critical public comments from senior players Lisandro Martinez and Bruno Fernandes about the club's recruitment and his tactics.
Asked directly about the notion that United are unmanageable, Carrick answered with a single word: "No." He also acknowledged that the team's overall display in a 4-1 Champions League defeat at Como on Wednesday was "unacceptable," while defending his side against claims they do not run or press enough when out of possession.
Carrick questioned how the pressing critique is applied, saying the term is used loosely and that pressing is only one part of football. He argued that running statistics alone do not define matches and that teams can win in different ways depending on their strengths and the spaces they are trying to cover. He said the focus must be on recapturing what the team did last season and during parts of this campaign.
The article notes that a dismissal would mark the third managerial change in as many seasons and mean eight long-term bosses, including Ralf Rangnick, have lost their jobs since the club last reached the heights of Sir Alex Ferguson, who retired in 2013. The pressure is amplified by prominent ex-players with their own media outlets and by popular fan channels, which the article presents as part of the argument that United is an impossible club to manage.
Carrick confirmed he has spoken this week with Ferguson, who signed him from Tottenham in 2006, and with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, describing both relationships as close and regular. He said he trusts his squad fully and expects a different United performance against Bournemouth.
Image: Getty Images / BBC Sport
