Manchester United
Manchester United
Manchester United’s season is in crisis under Michael Carrick.
A 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth on Sunday extended their winless run to eight games and left them 16th in the Premier League. That is one point above the relegation zone.
The result followed a 4-1 defeat at Como in the Champions League. Captain Bruno Fernandes criticised Carrick’s tactics afterwards, and Carrick dropped him for the Bournemouth game.
Fernandes stayed on the bench for the full 90 minutes.
Carrick signed a permanent contract less than five months ago. Former United captain Gary Neville has called for him to be sacked.
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United’s hierarchy has kept Carrick in charge for Saturday’s trip to Chelsea. Carrick and Fernandes have held talks to resolve their differences.
Manchester United will host Chelsea on Saturday and Carrick faced the media on Thursday ahead of the fixture and confirmed that striker Benjamin Sesko will be out for a long period with injury.
“Yeah, unfortunately Ben looks like he’s going to be out for a period of time,” Carrick said. “We’re still not clear of exactly how long, but it’s going to be for a longer period of time.
“It was the process, as I said to you before, we had to go through the process, a bit of a healing process for the injury to see how it would react and what direction to go with that. Even now we’re still working through it.
“But it’s unfortunately, obviously first and foremost, for Ben, for the kind of period that he’s had, and tried to get through it and going through this again, and for us to not have him available is obviously a blow, but we’ll try and get back, get him back as quick as we can.”
Carrick gave no return date, but Sesko is expected to be sidelined until at least January.
Arsenal host Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, December 20. United won the last meeting there 3-2 in January.
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That would also rule him out of United’s visit to Arsenal.
Sesko last played in United’s Carabao Cup defeat by Brighton on September 16. He came off in the 66th minute, and he has missed United’s last six matches in all competitions.
The injury is a shin problem. According to the BBC, club sources describe it as an impact injury rather than shin splints.
He missed all of pre-season with the complaint. It also kept him out of United’s final three Premier League games last season, after it flared up against Liverpool in May.
Sesko has scored twice in six appearances this season. Since joining from Leipzig in August 2025 in a reported £73.7 million deal, he has played 38 matches for United, scoring 14 goals and providing one assist.
Arsenal
Arsenal Emirates Stadium
Arsenal Emirates Stadium