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According to a report by The Sun on Saturday, October 31, 2026, Michael Carrick is facing growing uncertainty over his future as Manchester United manager following a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, which extended the club's winless run in all competitions to nine matches.
The latest setback has increased pressure on Carrick, with Manchester United continuing to struggle for consistency and showing little sign of turning their season around. The defeat also followed disappointing results against Como and Bournemouth.
Chelsea secured all three points through second-half goals from Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer, leaving the United manager facing further questions about his ability to improve the team's performances.
Manchester United competed reasonably well during the first half, with both sides creating opportunities but failing to find the breakthrough. Matheus Cunha appeared to have given the visitors the lead at one stage, but his effort was ruled out for offside.
The contest changed shortly after the interval when Rogers opened the scoring in the 50th minute. The Chelsea forward produced an impressive individual run, beating several Manchester United defenders before delicately chipping the ball over goalkeeper Senne Lammens.
United's hopes of recovering from the setback suffered another major blow in the 64th minute when Lisandro Martinez was sent off after receiving two yellow cards in quick succession.
The dismissal also resulted in a penalty for Chelsea, allowing Palmer to step forward and convert from the spot to extend the hosts' advantage to 2-0.
Chelsea nearly added another goal, but Estevao had an effort ruled out following a VAR review that confirmed his offside position. At the other end, goalkeeper Penders produced an excellent late save to deny Bryan Mbeumo, turning the forward's powerful volley onto the crossbar.
The defeat has left Manchester United without a victory in their last nine matches across all competitions, placing Carrick under considerable pressure.
According to The Sun, the club had previously maintained its support for the manager despite the disappointing results. However, the latest loss to Chelsea has intensified speculation about a possible managerial change.
The report identifies Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe and German coach Julian Nagelsmann as leading candidates to replace Carrick if Manchester United decide to end his spell at Old Trafford.
United must now quickly turn their attention to upcoming fixtures, with a Champions League encounter against Roma scheduled for Tuesday before a Premier League meeting with Aston Villa.
With pressure continuing to build, Manchester United's leadership faces an important decision regarding Carrick's future as the club attempts to recover from its disappointing run of results.