Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick faces a crucial week after a poor run of form that has seen the club fail to win five of their last six games in all competitions. Saturday's 1-1 draw with 10-man Tottenham, who equalised late through Dominic Solanke, leaves Carrick under growing scrutiny.
United now face two demanding away fixtures: a Champions League trip to Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night, followed by a visit to high-flying Leeds United, who have just lost their unbeaten record to reigning champions Arsenal. Writing in his Sky Sports column, Paul Merson believes the fixtures could define Carrick's future at Old Trafford.
Merson says he has seen signs of improvement at Tottenham but none at United. He hopes Carrick is not sacked but argues that he is in serious trouble, describing the week ahead as a nightmare and predicting United will not win either game. He notes that Atletico are difficult to beat at their ground, while the Leeds fixture carries a long-standing rivalry that makes it a major test.
Merson also questions how Carrick will respond to pressure. Carrick earned praise last season for returning United to the Champions League, but Merson argues that a true test comes during spells without wins. He suggests the current results show Carrick is not finding solutions, and he claims that Unai Emery, an experienced coach, would have been a better appointment.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing