After a humiliating 4-1 away defeat at Como, Micheal Carrick's job is on the line. Just 7 games into the season! That's how fast the edifice of last season's third place finish has crumbled. It began with meagre and average signings in the summer transfer window; fumbling deal of Ederson, opportunistic signing of Bruno Fernanes' replacement in Youri Tielemans, discarded blue of Santos, last year's seed in Carlos Baleba. Sir Alex Ferguson repeatedly signed players to strengthen the spine of the team and concentrate on not just one area of the team. Carrick and the United hierarchy did not heed to their master.
Season began away at Hull who simply steam-rolled United off the park with a splendid 2-0 victory for the team who were newly promoted. All of a sudden United appeared weak and meek. United struggled to maintain a clean sheet so far and even conceded two in a 5-2 win over another newly promoted team in Ipswich, the first game at Old Trafford. Two beautiful and unstoppable goals by Everton denied United a victory in a 2-2 draw. An unlucky decision cost United the Manchester derby by a 1-0 scoreline. United players didn't even run against Fulham as per Gary Neville who called it the 'worst 15 minutes' in 45 years of watching his Reds, at the start of the second half in a 1-1 draw. While the worst performance came against fellow strugglers Tottenham who dominated the game at Old Trafford in a another 1-1 draw. Against Leeds away, the reds played off the ball to a 1-1 draw - instead of trying to win that's how low the mighty have fallen!
That's seven points from seven games, the worst start to a season since the sacking of Ron Atkinson in 1986. Thanks only to a huge gap between top and bottom clubs in the English Premier League, this United of 2026 are not in a relegation position.
Under-fire and under-performing United players were unable to respond to media criticism. Lisandro Martinez called out the technical director after 2-0 defeat to Athletico Madrid, "We had a fantastic season last season, and now we expect more from the top, from upstairs, to bring in more players to compete because many teams have brought in many players as well." He continued "I expect more from our technical director. I have to be honest. And also, as a player, we have to do more." The Argentinian is out-of-contract next summer and there are no contract talks underway. Club subsequently fined him and Carrick called it closed. But another player was about to erupt.
The Captain who was voted the best player in the Premier League last season, who broke the assists record of Thierry Henry and Kevin de Bruyne. After the defeat to Como, Bruno Fernandes said about the tactics employed in the match as "That's on the manager and staff to see, not me." to which Carrick retorted in the press conference as "If you don't run, don't run forward and you don't run back you are not going to win."
For today's game at home to Bournemouth, Carrick gave an emotional speech reiterating his belief that he is the right man to take United forward. It all depends on players response; will Bruno Fernandes start or be the club captain? will deserving Shea Lacey get a start? Will Lenny Yorro play at centre-half? Instead of one or two false nine's can Cunha or Mbeumo start as a striker in the prolonged absence of Sesko? Will United players be able to sustain the intensity and play at a consistent level of high performance going forward? Though the press claim that Eddie Howe or Antonio Conte are the favourites, do hope a nice guy like Carrick can cope with this and lift United up.
