Manchester United travel to Chelsea in the Premier League this afternoon desperate for a win as pressure continues to mount on manager Michael Carrick. The Reds are winless in their last eight matches and have not won in the league since the 5-2 victory over Ipswich Town on August 30.
Carrick Under Pressure After Crisis Talks
Carrick looked set to be shown the exit door earlier this week after heavy defeats to Como and Bournemouth. United chiefs held crisis talks on Monday, and on Tuesday it was revealed that Carrick had been given a chance to turn things around. He has claimed not to be surprised by keeping his job following those talks.
How long he is given to prove he is the man to drag United out of their current plight remains unclear. One result could change the noise surrounding Carrick, and winning at Chelsea could be a turning point.
Mainoo Return Boosts United
Carrick's chances of a positive result have been boosted by the return of Kobbie Mainoo. The midfielder was back in training this week and could start, as could Bruno Fernandes after he held clear-the-air talks with Carrick this week.
Benjamin Sesko, Manuel Ugarte and Patrick Dorgu are out, while Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw are also not expected to feature. Sesko has been handed a hammer blow in his recovery from a shin issue and is expected to be out until January at least.
Squad Backs Carrick Amid Uncertainty
Amid continued uncertainty over Carrick's future, Tielemans insists the United squad "don't want a big change that is going to disrupt things more than they are." He is adamant the squad is behind Carrick and that they don't want any further disruption to what has been a chaotic season so far.
There are now just three games before the international break, and Carrick knows he has to turn things around before then to avoid the sack. None of the fixtures are easy, but a win today would put United in a good frame of mind heading into next week.
