Manchester United manager Michael Carrick applauds fans after the match
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick applauds fans after the match
Michael Carrick will be in the dugout for Manchester United when they travel away from home to take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon.
The English head coach had his position come into question after his side failed to win for the eighth successive match in all competitions against Bournemouth on Saturday.
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A 3-0 loss to the Cherries also came just days after the Red Devils were demolished 4-1 by Italian side Como in the Champions League, making it two losses and seven goals conceded in the last two games.
Despite the club's run of form, Carrick is being given the chance to turn things around by the board, who do not want to rush into sacking the former Middlesbrough boss.
Why Man Utd have not sacked Michael Carrick
ESPN have suggested that the support shown towards the manager by the supporters after the loss to Bournemouth has played a part in the board's decision to give him more time.
United fans serenaded Carrick with a chant as he walked off the pitch after the game, before turning their attention to the players with boos and shouts after the manager went down the tunnel, making it clear that they place the blame with the players rather than the coach.
This support from the fans at the game appears to have made an impact on the board's decision on the 45-year-old's future, and it may have bought him a few matches to turn the tide.
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However, patience will quickly run out if the results do not swing in the right direction sooner than later, which means that the Red Devils need to put in a strong performance against Chelsea this weekend.
Why Carrick can turn Man Utd's form around
Carrick does have the ability to turn the tide at Old Trafford because he showed in the second half of last season that he can coach the team to go on a strong run in the Premier League.
The Englishman arrived with United in sixth place in the division and went on a run of 12 wins in 17 matches in the top-flight to finish third and secure Champions League football for the club.
These statistics show that Carrick is not a horrendous manager, despite the current run of form, and suggest that he can still turn it around and get the team back to that level.
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It is now down to him and the players to find the right balance in the team and to deliver on the pitch to turn the results around and save his job in the long run.
Resurgent Man Utd star is biggest winner from Carrick staying
As is the case with every managerial decision in football, there will be some players who are happy with this news and some players who would have preferred to have seen him leave.
Arguably, the biggest winner from the decision to keep Carrick in his job for now is central midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, who has emerged as a key player for the manager.
The England international missed the defeats to Como and Bournemouth with a muscular injury, unfortunately, but he could be back in contention to face Chelsea this week.
Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo during training
Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo during training
Earlier this year, U23 scout Antonio Mango noted that the midfielder has "had a great resurgence under Michael Carrick", after he rarely got a look under Ruben Amorim.He did not start a single game under Amorim in the Premier League last season, coming off the bench 12 times, and was an unused substitute on four occasions.
Mainoo then started all 16 of his appearances in the Premier League under Carrick in the second half of the campaign, with United winning 12 of those 16 matches.He went from looking like he was on the way out of Old Trafford, having been linked to Leeds last year, to being the heartbeat of Carrick's winning machine in the top-flight.
His improved statistics in the Premier League this season, despite the team's poor form, also show that he has been in the form of his life on an individual level.
Mainoo's current pass success rate of 94% is the highest of his entire senior career to date and the first time that he has completed more than 89% of his passes in a campaign.
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The resurgent 21-year-old talent, therefore, is clearly the biggest winner from Carrick staying and will surely be delighted with the news, as the English head coach has helped him to revive his career at Old Trafford.