Manchester United head to Chelsea on Saturday for a lunchtime kick-off with manager Michael Carrick in desperate need of a result. The United boss was given a shock stay of execution after last weekend's 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth.
Carrick is on a run of eight games without a win in all competitions, but the club's hierarchy are yet to wield the axe. Returning to Manchester empty-handed could be the final straw.
Carrick Under Pressure Ahead of Chelsea Clash
Xabi Alonso's Blues have struggles of their own, losing to rivals Tottenham before being dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Liverpool on penalties. But it's far from an ideal fixture for Carrick as he clings onto his job.
There's turmoil in the boardroom for United too, while they're beginning to consider how they can turn around their fortunes in the January transfer window.
Glazers Reportedly Unhappy With Ratcliffe
The Glazer family are said to be unhappy with how minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been running the club since assuming control of football operations in 2020. The Glazers remain majority shareholders but gave Ratcliffe and his Ineos team free rein following his £1.25billion investment.
The British businessman soon began widespread cost-cutting measures, which were negatively perceived, and hasn't overseen an upturn in performance on the pitch like fans had hoped he would. According to the Mail, the Glazers are disenchanted with how the club is being managed.
"It’s a travesty and not what they expected or were promised," a source with social ties to the family said. "They have never run the club this way." Another source told ESPN that Ratcliffe's downsizing of multiple departments is completely the opposite of what he said his strategy would be and that the Glazers believe Ratcliffe "couldn't have masterminded a worse situation."
Shock Striker Target Considered
Carrick hasn't been helped by the ongoing absence of Benjamin Sesko, who's now set to not play his first minutes of the season until the new year. His shin injury has become much worse than first feared, forcing Bryan Mbeumo to play out of position as a No. 9 with Joshua Zirkzee not trusted.
United could dip into the market when it reopens come January, but their options will naturally be limited, as is usually the case mid-season. According to The Athletic, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is one name they're considering.
It seems incredibly unlikely that either Leeds or Calvert-Lewin would green light the move, not only because of the rivalry between the two clubs, but also because the England striker has got back to his best as Daniel Farke's talisman and would have to settle for a rotation role.
