Michael Carrick faces a crucial eight-day period that will be pivotal in determining his Manchester United future, with the team languishing in 12th place in the Premier League and out of the Carabao Cup.
The international break arrived at an ideal moment following a series of underwhelming results. The Manchester derby loss was compounded by a Carabao Cup defeat to Brighton at Old Trafford, despite Carrick's side establishing a two-goal lead early on. A 1-1 stalemate against Fulham offered little comfort before the extended break.
Stretford End discontent
Questions surrounding Carrick's position emerged after the Brighton collapse, which saw players retreating down the tunnel to chants of "what the f****** hell was that?" - about as close as it gets to rebellion from the Stretford End.
The spell between the September international break, which has just concluded, and the November international break has proved fatal for numerous Premier League managers, meaning Carrick recognises his side must strike form immediately when club football resumes this weekend.
Three matches in eight days
Tottenham is a crucial fixture on Saturday, particularly with United facing Atletico Madrid and Leeds United away in their subsequent two matches. Those three matches occur within just eight days and will prove pivotal to Carrick's prospects.
Spurs languish at the foot of the Premier League and have managed to find the net in just one of their league outings, despite spending £334million on new signings throughout the summer. A home defeat to them would be a devastating setback for United. Conversely, a victory beneath the Old Trafford floodlights would generate momentum and belief before two challenging away fixtures. A draw would prove acceptable, though far from perfect.
Challenging away fixtures
Atletico Madrid will probably enter as favourites to beat United irrespective of the Tottenham result. The Spanish side sit second in La Liga and boast an impressive record at the intimidating Metropolitano Stadium.
The encounter should favour United in several respects, though, as they will have opportunities to absorb pressure and launch counter-attacks, the approach through which Carrick has achieved his most impressive triumphs during his reign thus far. The fixture feels somewhat like a free hit for United, given it will not determine their progression to the Champions League knockout phase, yet securing a positive outcome is still vital before travelling to Elland Road.
Should United lose or draw with Tottenham and fail to compete against Atletico, Leeds will sense an opportunity on their own patch. The Whites have looked a well-drilled side this campaign, dismantling Newcastle at Elland Road, and their supporters will relish the visit of United, as is customary.
Critical run-in
Defeat in all three fixtures cannot be contemplated. That would be a full-blown crisis and such an outcome would leave his position untenable. Five points would provide sufficient momentum moving forward, though. Even securing a victory and a draw from the Tottenham and Leeds encounters, coupled with defeat to Atletico, would likely be adequate to silence the critics.
United must then navigate Como (away), Bournemouth (home), Chelsea (away), Roma (home) and Aston Villa (home) before the next international break, meaning Carrick needs to generate renewed optimism ahead of that demanding sequence. Every fixture carries significance when United are concerned, but the next three matches feel especially critical given the campaign's trajectory thus far.
