
âÂÂI expect to move forwardâÂÂ: Carrick denies risk of Manchester United sack
âÂÂIs there?â manager retorts when told of talk over position
Bizarre 4-4 draw with Villa leaves United in bottom three
A tetchy Michael Carrick dismissed a suggestion he could resign as head coach for the good of the team after SundayâÂÂs chaotic 4-4 draw with Aston Villa left Manchester United in the relegation zone heading into the international window.
CarrickâÂÂs side sit in 18th place with eight points from 10 games and have won only once, in August at home to Ipswich, in the league this season. It is now a club record eight Premier League games without a win.His job remains in the balance due to the dismal run of form.
Carrick was asked on Sky Sports if he was considering his position. âÂÂIâÂÂm not,â said the 45-year-old, who was curt when the interviewer said that it was clear there would be conversations regarding his future before UnitedâÂÂs next game, which is away to Liverpool on 22 November.
âÂÂIs there?â he replied. âÂÂYouâÂÂre telling me. IâÂÂm quite clear with what direction the club needs to go in, and itâÂÂs got to win games. We havenâÂÂt won enough games, but I expect to move forward and keep working on the things that weâÂÂve been working on and showing a lot of the good in the game today, tighten up on a few mistakes and win football matches.âÂÂ
Quick GuideHow do I sign up for sport breaking news alerts?
Show
In the Guardian app, tap the Profile settings button at the top right, then select Notifications. Turn on sport notifications.
If you already have the Guardian app, make sure youâÂÂre on the most recent version.
If you don't have the Guardian app, download it from theÃÂ iOS App StoreÃÂ on iPhone or theÃÂ Google Play storeÃÂ on Android by searching for 'The Guardian'.
Carrick insisted he is seeing enough in UnitedâÂÂs play. âÂÂYeah, 100%. I think thereâÂÂs more than enough,â he said. âÂÂGoals change games and youâÂÂve got to deal with it, and itâÂÂs part of something we have to improve on drastically, but thereâÂÂs more than enough. WeâÂÂre just making it too difficult for ourselves at the moment in certain times.âÂÂ
Villa scored after 59 seconds through Alysson before Nicolas Jackson gave them a 2-0 lead after just four minutes â with goalkeeper Senne Lammens culpable for both goals.
Despite Bruno Fernandes, from the penalty spot, and Youri Tielemans pulling United back all square by the break, further mistakes from Diogo Dalot and Leny Yoro allowed John McGinn and Leon Goretzka to make it 4-2 to Villa. DalotâÂÂs clumsy foul on Alysson conceded a penalty that McGinn converted and YoroâÂÂs header towards his own goal led to VillaâÂÂs messy fourth for Goretzka.
In stoppage time, goals from Joshua Zirkzee and Patrick Dorgu rescued an unlikely point for United.
When Dalot was replaced in the second half, the makeshift left-back was jeered by some United fans. The manager was asked if he could understand the supportersâ reaction. Carrick said: âÂÂWeâÂÂve got to be careful with that, I understand the frustration of the supporters, so I get it. WeâÂÂre all frustrated, weâÂÂre all disappointed, and the players are as much as anyone, I guarantee you that. Diogo, he gives absolutely everything.âÂÂ
Unai Emery was also left upset, VillaâÂÂs manager suggesting that DorguâÂÂs 96th-minute headed equaliser should not have stood as Lammens, up for a last-gasp corner, knocked into his opposite number, Zion Suzuki. Emery said: âÂÂHow we lost [our way] the last six minutes at the time, conceding two goals is very frustrating. The keeper, as well, is adapting but he still has work to do and how we have to defend when they are blocking us. In another country, maybe itâÂÂs a foul but here itâÂÂs not.
âÂÂI am disappointed but we move on. I have to analyse this match. It is very important to analyse deeply. First half, we started very good, but they were pushing. We were resilient. We tried to change. We started very well, scoring two goals again.âÂÂ
