Carrick given nine games to avoid Man Utd sack as ‘vacuum’ will pile on the pressure

Michael Carrick has been told that he could only have nine games to save his job at Man Utd as the “vacuum” of the international break could pile pressure on him.

The Red Devils have had a poor start to the new season with two losses, a draw and a win in their first four Premier League matches of the new campaign.

Man Utd beat Sabah 4-0 in their first Champions League match of the season but alarm bells were ringing on Wednesday night as they lost to Brighton in the Carabao Cup.

Carrick’s side threw away a two-goal lead against the Seagulls at Old Trafford to end up losing 3-2 with Man Utd looking really poor in the second half.

Brighton deserve credit for their performance but the result has piled pressure on Carrick with some reports indicating that both Antonio Conte and Eddie Howe would be open to taking the job if it became available.

Responding to some reports indicating Carrick is already under pressure from the Man Utd hierarchy, Italian transfer insider Fabrizio Romano calmed everyone down.

Romano said earlier this week: “Man Utd absolutely remain convinced that the future will be bright under Michael Carrick.

“Manchester United absolutely know that maybe the point about the summer transfer window was to add one more player, a left-back. They tried. It was not possible to proceed with the right options.

“United didn’t want to sign just to say: ‘OK, we signed one.’ They wanted to be convinced about the player they were going to sign, and so that’s why nothing happened.

“But they maintain total faith and confidence in Michael Carrick. They only have four points in four Premier League games, so obviously this is disappointing in terms of results, but Man Utd remain convinced about that.

“Carrick remains absolutely convinced too. What Carrick says in public – ‘We are going to do very well, I am confident, this team is good’ and all the rest – is what he’s saying to the club.

“Carrick remains absolutely convinced that this team can do very well in the next weeks and months, especially after the break. So that’s the feeling of Michael Carrick.”

Carrick told November international break a key milestone in Man Utd future

Former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness insists that the November international break will be key for Carrick as the “football vacuum is filled with stories from behind the scenes”.

If Man Utd aren’t in a good position by then the pressure will really start to build, with the Red Devils playing Fulham, Spurs, Leeds, Bournemouth, Chelsea and Aston Villa in the Premier League and Atletico Madrid, Como and Roma in the Champions League before the international break, which starts on November 9.

Wyness told Football Insider: “Well, this next couple of games are important for them, and I think after the November international break they’re going to have to start looking at that.

“Now the trouble is, the only thing that can solve things is goals and points. That’s what’s got to happen, or the pressure will build.

“In international breaks as well, that’s when the football vacuum is filled with stories from behind the scenes, which can put even more pressure on because there are no games to talk about.

“So I think the second break, he’d better get something going by that time or else the pressure will really start to build. You’d possibly be looking at the start of the new year for them giving in once again and making a change. But it’s not the United I grew up with, that’s for sure.”