Andrey Santos has revealed that Manchester United's players remain fully behind Michael Carrick despite their dreadful start to the season. They have only secured two victories in all competitions, beating newly-promoted Ipswich Town in the second week of the campaign and minnows Sabah in their Champions League opener.
Other than that, it has been a chastening period for the Red Devils, who suffered their latest defeat at the hands of Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night. United went a goal down inside the first minute, with Pablo Barrios opening the scoring, before they were reduced to 10 men in the second half when Leny Yoro was dismissed with 16 minutes remaining.
Players rally behind under-pressure boss
Five minutes later, former Everton forward Ademola Lookman doubled Atletico's lead to wrap up a 2-0 victory and condemn United to yet another poor result. The outcome will pile even more pressure on Carrick, who has overseen a period of terrible form since he was appointed on a permanent basis.
It's been speculated that his job could be on the line if he fails to turn things around, but Santos insists that Carrick retains the backing of the United dressing room. Speaking after the final whistle in Madrid, the midfielder said: "Of course we believe in our manager, the staff and the players. We are in a bad moment but we have to work to change this result."
Martinez questions club's backing
Lisandro Martinez delivered a similar verdict in his fiery post-match interview, in which he pointed the finger at United's hierarchy over a perceived lack of investment in the squad. Asked if the manager had been sufficiently backed, Martinez replied: "I don't think so. He does his best. Every season is different. You can't stay with what you did last season.
"The teams knows how you play, they know every detail, if you don't change next season [it] is a big problem. You can't keep changing, changing, changing the manager. What about other areas? I can't say more."
Upcoming tests for Carrick's side
It remains to be seen how United's hierarchy will proceed if Carrick fails to steady the ship over the next few weeks. He will be desperate to return to winning ways against old foes Leeds United over the weekend before taking on Como in the Champions League a few days later.
United will also face Bournemouth, Chelsea, Roma and Aston Villa before the November international break. Their next game after that will be a potentially season-defining away clash against bitter rivals Liverpool.
