Michael Carrick knows how it sounds. Manchester United have gone nine games without a win in all competitions, sit 17th in the Premier League and are 21st in the Champions League table. On Monday he still said he “can’t wait” to face Roma at Old Trafford.
“You might think I’m crazy with the results we’ve had and what’s going on, but genuinely, I really can’t wait for the game,” Carrick said at his pre-match news conference. “I’m really looking forward to it.”
Tuesday’s game kicks off at 20:00. It comes three days after United’s 2-0 defeat by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, where Lisandro Martinez was sent off. United are on their worst run since 1988-89. They have not gone 10 games without a win in a single campaign since 1977-78.
‘I can’t look into the future’
Carrick signed a two-year contract in the summer. However, there is a growing feeling he will lose his job during the international break, which follows Tuesday’s game and Sunday’s home match against Aston Villa. He was asked if he felt like a coach with only two games left. “No, not at all,” he said.
“Listen, I can’t look into the future, you never know what’s going to happen,” he added. “That doesn’t change the way I feel. Whatever happens is going to happen in whatever direction it goes in, but we want to make it a big night tomorrow.”
Carrick also rejected the idea that his players had stopped playing for him, including Martinez. The Argentine was booked twice at Chelsea, and the second booking also gave away the penalty for Chelsea’s second goal. There have been calls for him to be dropped against Roma.
“Perceptions are a funny thing,” said Carrick. “They can make things look all sorts of different ways. The dressing room is a good place. I’ve said it before, I don’t question the commitment of the players, to the club and to me and to each other. We need to play better. We can make better decisions. But commitment’s not a thing at all.”
Kobbie Mainoo spoke alongside him. The midfielder came back from a four-match absence with a muscle problem as a second-half substitute at Chelsea. He described the run as “a tough season” but believed it could turn quickly.
“I’ve been at this club for a long time and know there’s always going to be ups and downs,” said Mainoo. “It’s never going to be plain sailing and smooth to the top. You expect bumps. We’ve not had the results we’ve wanted, but I feel like we’re one win away from changing that.”
A European campaign on the edge
United have taken three points from three games in the Champions League league phase. They beat their only home opponents so far, but lost to Atletico Madrid and Como. That leaves them 21st, and only the top 24 go through to the knockout stage, so a bad result against Roma could push them out of the qualifying places.
“There is the bigger picture and it is about getting through to the later stages,” said Carrick. “We’re certainly still in it with a great chance of progressing and it’s got to be the focus from now.”
Roma have lost only once all season, at home to Real Madrid in the Champions League last month. They led that game 3-1 with seven minutes left.
Team news gives Carrick little help:
- Luke Shaw is ruled out this week.
- Marcus Rashford is being assessed “day by day”.
- Leny Yoro is managing a tendon problem but is “on a really good pathway”, according to Carrick.
- Martinez is available in Europe, because his red card at Chelsea came in the Premier League. He will be suspended against Villa.
Memories of 7-1, and a record low to escape
Roma have played at Old Trafford four times and lost every one. The most famous was in April 2007, when Sir Alex Ferguson’s side won 7-1 in the second leg of the quarter-final. Carrick, then 25, scored twice.
“It was a magical night,” he said. “The fact that I scored a couple, and that was very unusual, gives me great memories.”
The current numbers are much worse. United were last relegated in 1973-74. Since then, their lowest position after at least nine games of a season was 17th, in 1989-90, which is where they are now. That season ended with Ferguson winning the FA Cup, his first trophy at the club, and it is often seen as the point where his reign was saved. Carrick needs a similar turnaround, and he has little time to get it.
A win over Roma would end the run at nine games, lift United towards the top 16 in Europe and give the players some confidence before Villa. A defeat would leave United facing a 10-game winless run, something they have not done in a single campaign for nearly 50 years, and could leave their European campaign in serious trouble.
“We’ve got to act on it now,” said Carrick. “We’ve got to make a difference and we’ve got to make a difference quite quickly.”
Sports journalist and editor at SportsPortal.net. Covers cricket, football, Formula 1, tennis, and basketball with a focus on how global sports connect with Pakistani audiences. Follows the PSL, Pakistan national cricket team, Premier League, and major international tournaments. Has reported on sports for digital audiences since 2021.
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