Man United head coach Michael Carrick facing "nightmare week" as potential replacements are discussed

By Matt Law | 12 Oct 2026 15:07, Last updated: 12 Oct 2026 15:10

Former Arsenal and England attacker Paul Merson has admitted that helium fears for Manchester United caput manager Michael Carrick up of "a nightmare week".

A mediocre commencement to the 2026-27 run has seen Man United triumph conscionable 1 of their six matches successful England's apical flight, and they are down successful 13th spot successful the Premier League table connected six points.

The unit is gathering connected Carrick up of a travel to Atletico Madrid successful the Champions League connected Tuesday, with that lucifer coming earlier a Premier League fixture with Leeds United astatine Elland Road connected Sunday afternoon.

Merson has said that Man United's show successful Saturday's 1-1 gully with Tottenham Hotspur was 'worrying', and the 58-year-old has questioned whether Carrick volition past 2 much mediocre results successful speedy succession.

"After Saturday's game, I'd much disquieted if you're a Man Utd fan. I've seen signs with Tottenham that things tin improve, there's thing there. I haven't seen immoderate signs with Man Utd astatine the moment," Merson wrote successful his file for Sky Sports.

Carrick is nether expanding unit astatine Man United

"Now, Michael Carrick is successful occupation implicit the adjacent 2 games. I anticipation helium doesn't get the sack, but he's successful trouble. It's a nightmare week for him. I couldn't deliberation of 2 worse games - and I don't deliberation they're going to triumph either of them.

"Atletico Madrid, astatine their ground, it's a hard game. They're hard to beat, a precise hard squad to play against and beat. They don't fto successful a batch of goals. Then you spell to Leeds, who's 1 of Man Utd's champion enemies. This is simply a big, big, large shot match. A large rivalry. And it's 1 of Leeds' biggest games.

"And if you're a Leeds fan, aft the weekend, you'd beryllium shocked if Man Utd bushed them astatine Elland Road. Every Leeds instrumentality would beryllium disappointed if they didn't get a effect against Man Utd this weekend.

"Now that's a large plaything successful football. How galore times person we said that astir Leeds vs Man utd games? And it tells you everything you request to cognize astir Man Utd.

"I've ever said the aforesaid happening astir Carrick. When they were playing good past play and helium got them into the Champions League, everyone was saying: springiness him the job, springiness him the job. But what I wanted to spot was however he'd respond erstwhile they spell 3 oregon 4 games without a win.

Merson: 'Man United should person appointed Emery'

"It's alright erstwhile you're winning each week. You're each in, you're connected a crest of a wave. Ask immoderate manager, it's casual erstwhile you're rolling. But however was Carrick going to grip the pressure? What was helium going to bash differently? We're seeing that now. It doesn't look similar helium is coming up with the ideas to get retired of it.

"If helium was similar this past season, helium wouldn't person got the United occupation permanently. But present he's got the contract. United should person gone for Unai Emery. They should person done immoderate they could to get idiosyncratic similar him. Someone with large experience, who has been astir the block. This is simply a hard job.

"Now, who other is going to travel in? Eddie Howe is astir apt the antheral they'd spell for. He's the lone 1 astir isn't he? Antonio Conte could spell in, he'd dependable the ship. But I don't cognize if helium wants to play entertaining shot and acceptable the satellite alight. I don't cognize what the Man Utd owners want."

Man United are without a triumph successful their past 4 matches successful each competitions, suffering 2 defeats successful the process.