Unai Emery saw Aston Villa twice surrender a two-goal lead in Sunday's draw at Manchester United as the flaws with the Spanish boss were exposed
Unai Emery saw Aston Villa collapse on Sunday, walking down the touchline before the full-time whistle
Unai Emery saw Aston Villa collapse on Sunday, walking down the touchline before the full-time whistle
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Michael Carrick is not going to resign. Of course he is not. He has a contract that runs until the summer of 2028. No sane character will throw away a pay-off that will run into the millions.
When he woke up to more incessant ranting on radio phone-ins devoted to the prospect of his dismissal, he might have felt like jacking it all in.
When he woke up to bookmakers trumpeting their latest odds on a decent guy getting the sack, he might have felt as though the job was not worth the ridicule. But if the Manchester United executives believe they made the wrong decision in the summer, they need to pay for it.
For the accomplished job he did in the second half of last season, Carrick should be given longer to prove he can make a decent fist of the long-term task. But there is no doubt his position is precarious. It would surprise no-one if Carrick was dismissed during this international break.
What should surprise everyone is if United then seriously pursued Unai Emery’s services. The eight-goal match between United and Villa at Old Trafford confirmed that.
Many observers highlighted Emery’s reactions to the late surrender of a two-goal lead as evidence of his unsuitability for a role that is more than likely to become available soon. There was the premature exit from the arena and then some slightly bizarre, tetchy exchanges during post-match media duties.
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Let’s not go over the whole ‘food chain’ business again but it is fair to say that media scrutiny on United will normally be more considerable than it is on Villa. But that would not be a serious concern for United’s decision-makers if they have Emery on a shortlist of candidates to succeed Carrick should they replace him.
What would be a concern is that Emery oversaw a team that twice allowed a deeply flawed United to get back into a game they should have lost. With apologies to Oscar Wilde, to lose one two-goal lead may be regarded as misfortune; to lose two looks like carelessness.
Strip away the madness of Sunday’s match and its ramifications - the fact is that Emery eventually made five changes to a team that held a two-goal lead and that lead was wiped out in the dying stages of the match. Not only did Emery withdraw experience - John McGinn and Leon Goretzka taken out of the fray - he ignored it.
The Spaniard has been strongly linked with the Man Utd job
The Spaniard has been strongly linked with the Man Utd job
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As promising as he is, the situation was not ideal for 19-year-old George Hemmings, who was sent on ahead of Emi Buendia, who remained unused. Whatever the rights and wrongs of his substitutions, Emery’s record against certain marquee clubs - and for all its issues, United is still a marquee club - stands out. Not in a good way.
Three wins in 31 matches against Barcelona, four in 19 against United, two in 15 against Liverpool, four in 12 against Arsenal, five in 26 against Real Madrid. Yes, the odds have normally been stacked against his team when playing these clubs (although not on Sunday) but it is still eye-catching.
The whole debate might be spurious. Carrick might be given more time, inspire a victory at Anfield and go on a winning rampage. But if Sunday’s madcap draw against Villa does prove to herald the end of Carrick’s reign, it should also herald the end to any idea of Emery succeeding him.