Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe with Director of Football Jason Wilcox
(Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
The Manchester United hierarchy decided to give Michael Carrick a new lifeline despite the abysmal results and performances.
The fallen Premier League giants are currently lying in a shocking 16th place in the standings, having collected a single win in eight league fixtures.
They are also without a victory in their last eight matches across all competitions. The humbling back-to-back defeats to Como (1-4) and Bournemouth (0-3) were initially perceived as the end of the line for Carrick, who also had a row with Bruno Fernandes due to the captain’s public criticism.
But against all odds, Carrick somehow survived the storm. Several sources, including The Athletic journalist Laurie Whitwell, revealed that the 45-year-old will remain in charge until the Chelsea game on Saturday.
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 25: Michael Carrick, Manager of Manchester United, acknowledges the fans after the Premier League 2026/27 match between Manchester United and AFC Bournemouth at Old Trafford on October 25, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 25: Michael Carrick, Manager of Manchester United, acknowledges the fans after the Premier League 2026/27 match between Manchester United and AFC Bournemouth at Old Trafford on October 25, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
Carrick’s confirmation has also been reported by ESPN journalists Rob Dawson and Mark Ogden.
Interestingly, the source added that the hierarchy’s decision was influenced by the Old Trafford faithful, who made their feelings abundantly clear during and after Sunday’s defeat to Bournemouth.
Old Trafford sings “It’s Carrick, you know…” as he heads down the tunnel.
The #mufc players are then booed off [@MKeegan_Overlap] pic.twitter.com/eRZTfJSXQX
— utdreport (@utdreport) October 25, 2026
Despite the woeful showing, the fans expressed their overwhelming support for Carrick, who was visibly moved as he gratefully saluted all corners of the stadium while making his way to the tunnel.
Once the manager was out of sight, the cheers immediately turned to jeers and whistles directed at the players, who have been accused of complacency. The club’s directors and owners were also targeted with insults throughout the game.
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Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Jason Wilcox in the stands
(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Carrick might be a popular figure at Old Trafford, but this doesn’t necessarily mean he’s the right man to take charge of the team for the rest of the season, especially amid the surfacing rifts between him and some of the senior players.
As Jamie Carragher pointed out on Sunday, Carrick may not be the main culprit behind United’s ongoing woes, but his sacking could be a relief rather than a punishment, as he might not fancy coaching Fernandes and the rest of the group any longer.
Therefore, the hierarchy’s decision to keep the Wallsend native could stem from a desire to avoid further fan backlash by sacking the most popular figure at the club rather than doing what’s best for the club.
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