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Michael Carrick is under enormous pressure with United winless in nine matches
Michael Carrick is clinging onto his job by a thread as he takes charge of Manchester United’s meeting with Roma in the Champions League, desperate for a change of fortunes to save his skin.
United lost again on the weekend as they slumped to a 2-0 defeat at Chelsea, leaving them 17th in the Premier League, hovering above the relegation zone on goal difference.
After surviving initial club crisis talks at Carrington last week, every game now feels like it could be Carrick’s last unless he can manage to turn the tide, with United winless in nine games for the first time in 40 years.
United have just two more matches before the international break - with the visit of Aston Villa following on Sunday – which could bring about judgement day for Carrick.
We’ve got a fair few tasty fixtures lined up in Europe’s premier competition tonight, including a trip to the Camp Nou for Aston Villa. Here are all the 8pm kick-offs:
We’ve already seen Shakhtar lose 1-0 to Sporting CP at Stamford Bridge in one of the early kick-offs, while Galatasaray lead Stuttgart 2-0 heading deep into stoppage time.
Will Castle3 November 2026 19:40
Miguel Delaney was at Stamford Bridge as Michael Carrick slumped to yet another defeat - leaving Manchester United teetering above the relegation zone. Here’s his report:
As Michael Carrick walked into the press room at Stamford Bridge, with many waiting to hear whether he might actually muster some fire, there was also an eye on results elsewhere: a few permutations could have meant England’s most successful club dropped into the relegation zone at this stage of the season – now a quarter in – for the first time since 1986.
That alone is a stark reality, which would be a line in the sand in any other setting.
It barely needs to be said that moment in 1986 was of course when United appointed Sir Alex Ferguson. The rest is history, but this is the present and there is no sign of any salvation – from anywhere.
Chelsea 2-0 Manchester United: A second-half unravelling at Stamford Bridge, turned by Lisandro Martinez’s red card, leaves the visitors hovering above the bottom three and Michael Carrick continuing to insist he will fight on
Miguel Delaney3 November 2026 19:23
Deviz Vasquez starts in between the sticks for Roma tonight. He is Roma’s third-choice keeper.
Roma have endured bad luck with goalkeepers this season, with number one Mile Svilar currently ruled out with a broken finger.
Pierluigi Gollini had so far deputised in the Belgian’s place, but he failed a late fitness test following a back injury ahead of tonight’s match, meaning Vasquez will play at Old Trafford.
Will Castle3 November 2026 19:14
Here’s Richard Jolly inside Old Trafford:
Will Castle3 November 2026 19:00
A few changes from Gian Piero Gasperini following Roma’s thrashing of Udinese on the weekend as his side heads to Old Trafford.
At the back, Leonardo Balerdi and Gianluca Mancini are restored to the back three, while third-choice keeper Devis Vazquez starts in between the sticks due to injuries.
The only other change sees Nahuel Molina dropped for Devyne Rensch.
Roma XI: Vazquez; Balerdi, Mancini, Hermoso; Rensch, De Roon, Cristante, Wesley; Soule, Mora; Malen.
Will Castle3 November 2026 18:56
The big news from United’s team sheet... Michael Carrick has dropped Lisandro Martinez.
He defended the Argentinian in his press conference yesterday but after his red card against Chelsea (the latest of a series of errors), the under-fire manager has taken the decision to move Martinez to the bench. Ayden Heaven comes into the side in his place.
Elsewhere, Kobbie Mainoo starts ahead of Andrey Santos in the only other United change.
Man Utd XI: Lammens; Yoro, Maguire, Heaven, Dalot; Baleba, Mainoo; Amad, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo.
Will Castle3 November 2026 18:46
We’re a few minutes away from line-ups being confirmed ahead of Manchester United’s Champions League clash with Roma tonight.
Stay tuned...
Will Castle3 November 2026 18:40
Gian Piero Gasperini is not getting “hung up” on Manchester United’s miserable form as the Roma boss attempts to mastermind a famous Old Trafford triumph.
Michael Carrick’s Red Devils limp into Tuesday’s Champions League encounter on the back of a nine-match winless streak that has included defeats away to Atletico Madrid and Como.
The 4-1 defeat at Cesc Fabregas’ ever-improving side a fortnight ago sent United into a tailspin that they are desperate to end against a Roma side buoyed by their unbeaten start to the Serie A.
Head coach Gasperini, who only has 17 outfield players to select from in England, said: “Obviously Manchester United is struggling somewhat in terms of results in the Premier League at the moment.
“But we can’t get distracted and too hung up on that situation because we know that Manchester United is a strong team, we know that they have top players in their squad.
“We know what the atmosphere is going to be like here as well.
“They make things very difficult for the opposition here at Old Trafford, so we’ll be playing tomorrow’s game as if we’re playing against Manchester United at the top of its form.”
Simon Peach 3 November 2026 18:20
Kobbie Mainoo called on Manchester United’s players to fight for under-fire manager Michael Carrick, the fans and themselves against Roma.
The Red Devils’ nine-match run without a victory in all competitions is their worst winless streak since 1988 and Saturday’s 2-0 loss at Chelsea means they began November above the drop zone on goal difference alone.
Carrick transformed results, mood and performances following his January appointment, with homegrown talent Mainoo’s fortunes changing starkly having been marginalised by predecessor Ruben Amorim.
“I’m very grateful to the boss for putting the trust in me as soon as he came in, and putting that belief in me,” Mainoo said.
“Giving me all the advice that he has, knowing he’s a player who’s been at this club and knows the history of this club and knows what it takes to win, I take those words to heart and I try and apply them every day in in training and in games.
“I feel like our way to repay that is to also be behind the manager on the pitch and off it, and fight for us and fight for us as a team.
“In these tough times you can’t expect the fans 100,000 per cent of the time to be happy and cheering when we’re not putting out results. We owe it to them to put the results out there for them to cheer again.”
Michael Carrick is under enormous pressure with United winless in nine matches
Michael Carrick is clinging onto his job by a thread as he takes charge of Manchester United’s meeting with Roma in the Champions League, desperate for a change of fortunes to save his skin.
United lost again on the weekend as they slumped to a 2-0 defeat at Chelsea, leaving them 17th in the Premier League, hovering above the relegation zone on goal difference.
After surviving initial club crisis talks at Carrington last week, every game now feels like it could be Carrick’s last unless he can manage to turn the tide, with United winless in nine games for the first time in 40 years.
United have just two more matches before the international break - with the visit of Aston Villa following on Sunday – which could bring about judgement day for Carrick.
Manchester United and Roma will joint together in tribute of Jesus de Miguel Alameda before tonight’s match at Old Trafford. The Tenerife striker died in hospital on Tuesday after suffering a cardiac arrest as a result of a collision during a match on Monday.
A minute's silence will be observed before kick-off at Old Trafford and both teams will wear black armbands for the fixture, as is the case before all Uefa matches this week.
Jamie Braidwood3 November 2026 17:44
Manchester United’s 7-1 win over Roma in the 2006 Champions League semi-finals remains the club’s biggest-ever win in the competition.
Jamie Braidwood3 November 2026 17:22
When the Champions League draw pitted Manchester United against Roma, the more nostalgic were transported back 20 seasons.
To a night that, ultimately, proved a staging post on Sir Alex Ferguson’s way to conquering Europe the following season.
To a European Cup win that, in its margin, has only been bettered in United’s history by the Busby Babes’ 10-0 demolition of Anderlecht in 1956.
To the only time in 464 appearances for United that Michael Carrick scored twice.
In 2007, United faced a Roma side that included the World Cup winners Francesco Totti and Daniele de Rossi. They thrashed them 7-1.
“A magical night,” Carrick recalled. “It was one of the best nights, one of the best games, one of the best atmospheres I've been fortunate enough to witness.
So the fact that I scored a couple and that was very unusual gives me great, great memories, but it was more the actual whole the emotion of the night. It was a special one.”
Now, nine without a win, beaten in each of the last three, Carrick could do with recapturing some of the magic he and his teammates produced to inflict Roma’s record European defeat.
With a fractured dressing room and fans in open revolt, the beleaguered head coach needs a result against Roma akin to their 2007 triumph to arrest the club’s decline
Richard Jolly, Senior Football Correspondent3 November 2026 17:02
Manchester United’s nine-game winless run is their longest stretch without a victory since 1988. Their results since victory over Sabah in September have been:
Jamie Braidwood3 November 2026 16:44
Michael Carrick has urged the Manchester United fans to create a “stand up” and be there for his players as they attempt to end a nine-game winless run.
United were booed off following their last game at Old Trafford, following defeat against Bournemouth, and Carrick says his players must also play their part but giving the fans something to shout about.
"When you think about the special nights and you think about the feelings and the emotions, a lot of the time it builds before kick-off and you feel it going into the game, in the warm-up and when the game starts,” he told MUTV.
"It rolls all the way through the game, and we need that. We've got to play our part for sure, and we've got to give the fans something to get excited about.
"That's when you're tested, in these tough times, and for them to stand up and be there for us, we've got to make that both ways.”
Jamie Braidwood3 November 2026 16:22
Bryan Mbeumo insists the Manchester United squad still trust each other after Lisandro Martinez was needlessly red carded in Saturday’s defeat to Chelsea to pile more pressure on Michael Carrick.
“A lot of disappointment,” said Mbeumo on Saturday. “I thought we played a solid game, a good first half especially.
“And everything was good, the mentality, the work-rate. I think (a win is) going to come.
“I feel like everyone linked together, even some who made mistakes, we were there for him [Martinez]. When someone did great, everyone was there to get something from this.
“We still trust everyone. With the man down, we still had some frustrations at the end. But I think we have done everything as a team.
“Maybe we just missed some chances. We could have been up early in the game, but that’s a positive to take out of this game.”
Jamie Braidwood3 November 2026 16:02
Manchester United will again be without Patrick Dorgu and Luke Shaw. The England left-back will be out until the international break but the Denmark international is back in training, though he will not be involved against Roma. Carrick is waiting to see when forward Marcus Rashford is fit to return. “We'll just have to see day by day how he keeps improving,” he added.
Kobbie Mainoo is back fit, however.
Jamie Braidwood3 November 2026 15:42
Michael Carrick has insisted he does not doubt Lisandro Martinez’s commitment to Manchester United – even after the defender launched a verbal attack on sporting director Jason Wilcox and was then sent off in Saturday’s defeat to Chelsea.
“I've got no concerns about commitment at all,” Carrick said. “Things happen in football. Sometimes you do things, sometimes you make a decision, sometimes you make mistakes, sometimes goes well for you. But the commitment is not an issue for sure.”
Captain Bruno Fernandes has also given an explosive post-match interview recently, criticising Carrick’s tactics after the 4-1 loss to Como.
But Carrick said he is not worried about the image that his squad lack discipline, adding: “The dressing room is a good, good place, so perceptions are a funny thing.
“They can they can they can make things look all sorts of different ways and think about all sorts of different things. The commitment of the players to the club, to me, to each other – I don't question that at all. We need to play better, we can make better decisions, but commitment's not a thing at all.”
Richard Jolly, Senior Football Correspondent3 November 2026 15:22
Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has said Lisandro Martinez’s red card against Chelsea on Saturday “selfish” and “all ego”.
A positive performance from Michael Carrick’s side was undermined when Martinez received two yellow cards in as many minutes with his side 1-0 down at Stamford Bridge, with the defender also conceding a penalty for his reckless challenge in the box.
“He's cost them points, but he's done it for a manager that's backing him, that's supported him and has really gone out of his way for him,” Gerrard said on The Overlap daily.
“It was selfish. It was all ego, thinking he's all macho. But the disappointing thing for me is he's walking off the pitch shaking his head as if it's the referee's fault, as if he's the victim.”
Asked whether Martinez, who was critical of the United hierarchy last month and is out of contract in the summer, is attempting to engineer a January exit, Gerrard said: “That's possible as well.
“I've seen that happen before, so I wouldn't be surprised by that. It wouldn't surprise me in his world, when he's on his dining table at night with his family and his agents and whoever he spends his time with, that he's thinking, I want out of here sharpish, and probably the best way for me to do that is to cause problems, and that's exactly what he's doing. His performances in the last couple of weeks have been shocking.”
Jamie Braidwood3 November 2026 15:02
It’s crunch time – once again – for Manchester United and Michael Carrick as they bid to end their nine-game winless run against Roma in the Champions League. Defeat to Chelsea on Saturday was a third loss in a row in all competitions and Carrick’s job appears to be hanging by a thread as United head into back-to-back home games against Roma and Aston Villa before the international break, with Carrick very much still fighting for his future.
The pressure is on ahead of the arrival of the Italian side, who are unbeaten domestically in Serie A this season.
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