Michael Carrick receives official message over Man Utd future amid sack talk

25 Oct 2026 10:10 GMT 2 min read

Matthew Judge | Editor

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Senne Lammens insists the Manchester United dressing room is behind beleaguered head coach Michael Carrick.

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Carrick is under huge pressure after presiding over a poor run of form which has yielded just two wins from 11 games this season.

BBC Sport understands the Red Devils hierarchy have started the process of identifying possible replacements for their 45-year-old manager.

However, the United board are hoping Carrick is able to arrest the slide by beating Bournemouth in the Premier League this afternoon.

Captain Bruno Fernandes publicly questioned Carrick’s tactics following the 4-1 loss at Como in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Yet Lammens is adamant the United players are “all together behind the coach” as Carrick fights for his future at Old Trafford.

Asked if the squad is “united” ahead of the game against Bournemouth, goalkeeper Lammens told Sky Sports: “For me personally, I think it is.

“I think it's easy to see maybe after a game when players are very frustrated, and I get it, I'm very frustrated as well because we all really want to do better and we all want to win and then we might say sometimes things we don't really mean or fully explain what we mean.

“Of course, the people at home can't see that, so we need to also try to look like that when we are on the pitch in the weekend, but I can assure you that we're doing everything we can and we're all together behind the coach, as a staff, players, front office.

“Everyone knows, of course, they have to do better, but I think we are united and we are trying to get better as a team and together.”

Carrick hit back after Fernandes criticism

Carrick was named as United's permanent head coach in May after an impressive spell as interim manager last season.

The former United midfielder replaced Ruben Amorim in January and guided the club to Champions League qualification by finishing third in the league.

However, the 20-time league champions have lost five of their 11 games this season, with performances lacking in energy and spirit.

After learning of Fernandes’ criticism after the Como defeat, Carrick responded by questioning the United players' desire to work hard without the ball.

“We actually half pressed man-to-man in the second half and ended up conceding a goal from that,” Carrick said after the full-time whistle in Italy.

“There’s a little bit on whatever system you play, whatever tactics you play - if you don’t run and you don’t run forward and you don’t run back, you aren’t going to win.”

BBC Sport understands Eddie Howe, Julian Nagelsmann and Antonio Conte are keen on the United job, should the club decide to sack Carrick.

All three managers are available after leaving Newcastle United, Germany and Napoli respectively in the summer.