Carrick avoids talk over Man United future after Bournemouth loss
· Yahoo Sports
Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick sidestepped questions about his future after Sunday’s 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth pushed him closer to the sack.
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Five months on from earning a two-year deal having led the Red Devils to a third-place Premier League finish, a run of eight matches without a win leaves the former midfielder staring down the barrel.
Bournemouth ran out comfortable 3-0 victors at an exasperated Old Trafford as United feebly followed Wednesday’s calamitous 4-1 loss at Champions League new boys Como.
Carrick applauded the fans, patted his chest and waved on a few of occasions as fans chanted his name as he walked down the Old Trafford tunnel for what could be the final time as manager.
“I take the responsibility – I’ve said that, I accept the responsibility,” the United boss said when asked if he still expected to be in charge against Chelsea next Saturday.
“Whatever is going to happen results-wise – whether we win, we lose, draw. Whatever happens through the whole football club, I’m in this position because I respect the position that I’m in, and the responsibility is mine. What else can I say really right now?”
Pushed on whether he expected to be sacked on Sunday or Monday, he said: “I totally understand the situation.
“I’m not expecting anything in particular, to be honest. I’m carrying on as normal.
“I love this place. I’ll always do what I feel is going to be the best for the football club, whatever decision is made on anything really, so that’s kind of it.
“You know, I’m not expecting anything either way.”
Carrick claimed ahead of the Bournemouth match that United were not unmanageable, yet he is just the latest coach to struggle working in a set-up that again raises major questions about players to ownership.
Fans let their fury at the Glazers and co-owner Jim Ratcliffe known throughout Sunday’s game, with chants aimed at director of football Jason Wilcox before boos greeted the players’ efforts at full-time.
Carrick says he spoke to Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada when they “briefly came down like they always do after a game” but said it was “nothing out of the ordinary”.
Their lack of accountability was brought up in a press conference that ended with questions as to why United have continued to find themselves back in such a state since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.
“It’s probably a number of things, really,” Carrick said. “If I really had the answers, I wouldn’t have let it happen.
“If I could do something about it and there was something that I could really control, then I wouldn’t have…. I’ve tried to do everything I can to not be in this position, of course I have, this season.
“For a number of reasons, whatever they are, we’ve not been able to stop that happening to the position we’re in right now.”
Pushed for any of those reasons, Carrick said: “Consistency, and hitting a level of consistency, and moving forward and striving for more is always a challenge, and keep pushing.
“Consistency is everything, really, and if you don’t have the consistency of all the work, then it becomes a challenge.
“That’s not everything. There’s a number of things you can look at, but I don’t think now sitting here is the perfect time to go through everything.”
Sunday was Bournemouth’s third 3-0 win at Old Trafford in the last four seasons and followed up their famous Europa League victory by the same scoreline against Amorim’s AC Milan on Thursday.
Cherries boss Marco Rose said of counterpart Carrick: “I feel a lot of empathy for my colleagues, for everyone.
“Everyone has to understand that even we are just humans, and we try to do our job the best possible way.
“But if a game starts, the work is done, then it’s up to the lads, and then sometimes it’s about the momentum, sometimes it’s about a little bit of luck.
“At the end, it’s never easy for us again, and I feel with Michael, yes.”