Michael Carrick believes he will cling onto his job as Manchester United head coach despite watching helplessly as his team slid closer towards the relegation zone at Chelsea.
Goals from Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer – who converted a penalty after Lisandro Martinez was sent off for picking up two yellow cards in the space of 82 seconds – consigned United to a 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge as they sank to 17th(check) place in the Premier League.
Earlier this week, Carrick was given more time by Old Trafford bosses to turn the club’s disastrous season around, but he is now without a win in nine games.
Asked if he will be in charge for Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Roma, he replied: ‘Yes. I’m just looking forward to getting the boys ready for the midweek now.’
The 20-time champions of England are faced with the humiliation of dropping into the bottom three and it was put to Carrick, a player and coach at United stretching back two decades, that seeing the club in such a position must be hurting him.
‘Yeah, pretty much exactly that,’ he said. ‘There is a lot of emotion. We’re a great football club and we want to win football matches. Things have gone against us in a big way and unravelled quickly.
Man United are now without a win in nine games in all competitions, their longest such run since October-November 1988
‘There is no hiding from the fact that we haven’t won enough games. There’s no words that I’m going to explain to you now that makes it any different, it’s not going to change it.
‘You can look at how far you can move up the league quite quickly if you win football matches. So that’s the way it’s got to be approached, for sure.’
Carrick insisted that he didn’t feel let down by Martinez, but did not even look at the Argentine as he left the pitch.
‘It has a major importance on the game. A huge moment. I think that is pretty obvious really,’ added Carrick. ‘The second goal and losing the man at that stage had a big influence on it, for sure.’
The United fans continued to give Carrick their support while once again turning on the club’s owners, the Glazer family and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, and director of football Jason Wilcox.
Meanwhile, Xabi Alonso admitted Estevao’s positive performance will give him a selection headache after the wonderkid showed Chelsea what they have been missing.
Morgan Rogers’ brilliant solo goal set Chelsea on their way to victory
The 19-year-old Brazilian was handed his first Premier League start of the season and scored two disallowed goals for offside as well as creating several other opportunities.
‘He’s given me reasons (to pick him),’ said Alonso. ‘This is football and sometimes you don’t get what you want, but the best way to show it is not by being angry, it’s by being competitive and Este has done it really well.’
Alonso also hailed Romeo Lavia after the 22-year-old Belgian filled in for the unwell Jordan Henderson in midfield on short notice, and was arguably this game’s best performer.
‘From a midfielder point of view, for me it has been a top, top performance,’ Alonso said. ‘He’s done so many things right. He’s been always connecting the defence with the attacker players, he’s been able to switch the game, he’s taken many right decisions, he’s been very dynamic, competitive. I’m very happy for him and he deserves a huge recognition for his performance.’
