Michael Carrick has admitted he has received no guarantees over his Manchester United future beyond Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Aston Villa.

The United head coach remains under significant pressure despite Tuesday’s dramatic 3-2 Champions League comeback victory over Roma.

That result finally ended a lengthy winless run, but it has not completely removed doubts surrounding his position at Old Trafford.

With the November international break beginning immediately after the Villa game, speculation has naturally increased that United’s hierarchy could use the two-week pause to reassess the managerial situation.

Carrick says he is carrying on as normal at Man United

Speaking during his pre-match press conference, Carrick was directly asked whether the club had told him he would still be in charge after the international break.

“No, I’ve just carried on as absolute normal,” he replied, according to Man United’s official website.

Carrick also insisted he was not approaching the Villa fixture with uncertainty, saying his focus remained entirely on preparing his players and building momentum from the Roma victory.

The situation is still delicate. United gave Carrick additional time after the damaging 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth, but they have won only once in their last ten matches across all competitions.

Aston Villa game could still shape Carrick’s future

Carrick’s calm public stance is understandable, but Sunday feels like another important test.

The win over Roma showed that his players are still capable of responding under pressure. The challenge now is proving it was the start of a recovery rather than another isolated result.

United are also continuing to assess alternatives. CaughtOffside reported that Eddie Howe is ready to take the job immediately if United decide to make a change, while Julian Nagelsmann remains another candidate.

David Ornstein has previously explained that United genuinely wanted Carrick to have more time rather than simply keeping him because alternatives were unavailable.

That support matters, but it clearly is not unconditional.

A convincing victory over Villa could strengthen Carrick’s position significantly heading into the break. Another damaging defeat, however, would inevitably bring the managerial debate straight back to the forefront.