Michael Carrick is clinging on to his job as Man Utd head coach, and he looks set to survive again after a miraculous comeback against Aston Villa.
Michael Carrick
Michael Carrick is clinging on to the Manchester United job by the skin of his teeth
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Michael Carrick insists he is clear on the direction Manchester United are heading in after seeing his side produce another stunning comeback to earn a 4-4 draw with Aston Villa.
The 45-year-old looked to be on the brink of the sack with his side 4-2 down in stoppage time at Old Trafford, only for Joshua Zirkzee and Patrick Dorgu to conjure up a remarkable rescue act.
Those goals are likely to have saved Carrick's job during the international break and he told Sky Sports after the game that he wouldn't quit, despite United now falling into the relegation zone.
But he was tetchy when asked if he expected talks with the club's hierarchy during the break and refused to confirm whether he expected to be called for a meeting with the club's owners, or chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox.
Carrick didn't react when pressed on his future in the press conference and gave the impression he expected to remain in charge for the trip to Liverpool in two weeks.
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"I'm quite clear with what direction the club needs to go in, and it's got to win games," he said. "I think there's more than enough [to turn things around].
"Goals change games and you've got to deal with it, and it's part of something we have to improve on drastically, but there's more than enough. We're just making it too difficult for ourselves at the moment in certain times."
When pressed on whether the international break had come at a good time for him, Carrick said: "Yeah, it's been a right mixed week or two or three really if you're looking at the events, but I'm pretty clear where we need to go and how we need to get there.
"Obviously, some of the boys will be flying off around the world and different things, and the group will be split for 10 days or so, but as a normal international week is, we'll have some training, we'll have one or two days off, not too much, but we'll train and we'll get ready for the next game."