Michael Carrick has insisted he is "not surprised" to still be Manchester United manager ahead of Saturday's Premier League trip to Chelsea, despite overseeing eight straight games without victory.
Carrick, appointed permanently at Old Trafford in the summer after an interim spell, has left United 16th in the Premier League table and out of the Carabao Cup following a run of poor results.
Bournemouth defeat and speculation
A 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth on Sunday sparked intense speculation that the former midfielder would be dismissed, but a meeting of club chiefs on Monday led to the decision to keep the head coach for the foreseeable future.
Asked if he was surprised to still be in his job, Carrick said: "No, no, I'm here to do my job and I'm desperate to improve things. I'm not surprised, no."
The ex-Middlesbrough boss said he needed no assurances from his superiors, adding: "I don't need any assurances from anyone; I get the position and understand the responsibility and what comes with that. I don't need any assurances from anyone."
Focus on supporters and preparation
Carrick also said he pays no attention to media and online speculation, stating: "I don't see it really, I see the things I need to see. I don't look for it because it doesn't help. I care about what the supporters think, what we give them and offer them, and what they see. I know what we need to do to be better - I don't need anyone else to tell me."
Following the defeat to Bournemouth, Carrick revealed he went straight back to work preparing for the Chelsea clash, which begins a difficult run for United. Asked about the aftermath of the Bournemouth game, he said: "To be honest, disappointment from the game, from the result. It's clear from the way the game went. Dealing with that was the main thing, looking at what we could have done better. Then getting back to training with the players and preparing for the next game against Chelsea."
