Manchester United will be desperate to turn their fortunes around when they welcome Italian side AS Roma to Old Trafford on Tuesday night, November 3, 2026, for their fourth UEFA Champions League fixture.The Red Devils go into the 8 pm encounter on November 3, 2026, having failed to register a victory in their last nine matches across all competitions, piling further pressure on head coach Michael Carrick.
Tag: Michael Carrick
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Jason Wilcox tipped Russell Martin as future Man Utd boss during manager search
Jason Wilcox had backed Russell Martin as potentially a future Man Utd manager(Image: Getty Images)
Manchester United chief Jason Wilcox gave a ringing endorsement of Russell Martin when the club were on the lookout for a new manager in 2024.
Wilcox, who moved to Old Trafford off the back of his work at Southampton, was involved in the brains trust that came together and considered who to appoint if Erik ten Hag was axed after the FA Cup final – which he would go on to win, thus saving his job.
Before that he had presided over a poor Premier League season and United bosses were drawing up a list of potential replacements. Wilcox banged the drum for Martin, whom he had appointed at Southampton before he led them to the Premier League via the play-offs.
The Athletic reports that Wilcox accepted that Martin, at that stage of his career, would not be suitable for the United job. Nevertheless he earmarked him as a manager to keep tabs on.
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Martin was ultimately sacked by the Saints 16 games into the 2024/25 season with the club bottom of the Premier League having lost 13 of their 16 games following promotion.
Wilcox had put huge faith in Martin when he was at St Mary's. Initially Southampton struggled to click but then went on a club-record 25-match unbeaten run. The United director of football has always been a fan of possession-based managers who stick by their principles and was happy to appoint Martin despite him never finishing higher than 10th in a table before landing the Saints job.
Since leaving Southampton Martin lasted just 17 games at Rangers before being sacked. He's since been appointed at Leicester, now in League One, but has the Foxes sitting in tenth.
Russell Martin is currently in charge at League One Leicester City(Image: Richard Hammersley/Shutterstock)
Ten Hag's victory at Wembley, where United shocked Manchester City to win their second domestic cup in as many seasons, saw the Dutchman retain his role. He was even handed a new contract but then lasted just nine games of the following season before he was shown the door.
He was the first manager axed by the Ineos hierarchy, who have since hired and fired Ruben Amorim. They then appointed Michael Carrick, who is a man under pressure and facing the chop as the club's bosses faced continued scrutiny over their decision making.
Wilcox himself was called out by Lisandro Martinez in the aftermath of the defeat to Atletico Madrid recently. The defender said: "I expect more from our technical director. I have to be honest. And also, as a player, we have to do more. It's also important to build a strong squad to be ready for this kind of night."
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Michael Carrick failed to show the fight Man Utd desperately need when asked about Lisandro Martinez situation
Michael Carrick had the chance to make a statement of intent at Monday's press conference, but his response to a question about Lisandro Martinez lacked the conviction Manchester United desperately need right now.
Martinez will miss this weekend's must-win clash with Aston Villa after picking up two yellow cards in the space of 83 seconds at Chelsea.
The 28-year-old defender, who called out United's hierarchy after their Champions League defeat against Atletico Madrid last month, was ignored by Carrick as he walked off the pitch.
But when the moment called for a show of authority, Carrick's response in his latest press conference lacked the ruthlessness needed from a coach to inspire a turnaround at Old Trafford.
"No, I've got no concerns about commitment at all," he said when asked about Martinez.
"Things happen in football. Sometimes you do things, sometimes you make a decision, sometimes you make mistakes. But the commitment is not an issue for sure."
Carrick added: "I've said it before, the commitment of the players to the club, to me, to each other is something I don't question at all. We need to play better, we can make better decisions, but commitment's not a thing at all."
United chiefs are planning to hold discussions with Martinez over his attitude, performances, future and contract situation, according to a report from the Manchester Evening News.
Martinez, who is in the final year of his deal at Old Trafford, is attracting interest from a host of clubs, including Champions League opponents Roma and Como.
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are also monitoring his situation, according to AS.
Argentina teammate Cristian Romero, who joined Atletico from Tottenham in the summer, recently named Martinez as the player he'd most like to see join him at the Spanish club.
Given everything that has happened this season, Martinez appears likely to leave United next summer, although the club have an option to extend his contract until 2028.
Fabrizio Romano delivered an update on Martinez's future in his latest video on YouTube.
"It is not an easy moment for Lisandro Martínez in general," he said. "His contract runs until June 2027, meaning the end of this season. Man Utd have a club option to extend his contract until 2028, ensuring they do not lose any value in terms of the player’s valuation."
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Carrick not distracted by speculation over United future
Under-fire Manchester United boss Michael Carrick says speculation about his future will not impact their Champions League game against Roma.
United are winless in nine matches, their worst run in 38 years, and sit outside the Premier League relegation zone on goal difference with just one win and seven points from their opening nine fixtures.
Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Chelsea increased speculation that Tuesday night’s visit of Roma in their fourth Champions League league phase match might be his last, given the Giallorossi’s unbeaten start in Serie A and 16 goals across their past four matches, with their only defeat of the season coming in Real Madrid’s dramatic 4-3 win in the Stadio Olimpico on October 14 .
Speaking at his pre-match media conference, Carrick said: “(Speculation) has no influence on how we prepare or on the game. We cannot wait for it. That is all I am focused on. What happens after, happens. Whatever direction it goes in.”
Carrick said he believes the players remain committed to the cause, despite the manner of their defeat at Stamford Bridge, with Lisandro Martinez’s quickfire sending-off and penalty concession ending their hopes of a comeback.
“I know what we are capable of. We have shown it in bursts, (including) the other day. We are close but need to act on it quickly.
“I have no concerns about (Martinez’s) commitment. Things happen in football. Sometimes you make mistakes. The commitment is not an issue.
“The dressing room is in a good place. The commitment of the players to the club, to me, to each other – do not question it at all. We need to play better, we can make better decisions, but the commitment is not a thing at all.
“We have to find a way out of this moment. We have done a lot of good things, we just couldn’t capitalise on it, but we will do. We have to keep doing the right things.
“A lot of people could do my job when you are winning games. It is about finding solutions, finding answers, staying strong, leading right and getting the best out of the players and we have to keep pushing for that.
“I love being here, I love working with the players. The struggles, the challenges, that just drives you on to want even more,” Carrick said.
United’s only win since August came in the 4-0 success against Sabah at Old Trafford on September 10 but another against Roma would keep United’s hopes of progressing to the knockout stages alive, said Carrick.
“We are looking for the win. There is the bigger picture and it is about getting through to the later stages.
“One or two (defeats) you can get away with… as long as you make amends for that. There are times, like tomorrow, that are going to dictate that for us. We’re certainly still in it. We’ve a great chance of progressing and that has to be the focus from now.”
Midfielder Kobbie Mainoo also gave his backing to the head coach and said the players have to fight as one to get through this ‘bump in the road’.
“I have been at this club for a long time and I know there’s always going to be ups and downs, it’s never going to be plain sailing to the top so you expect bumps and the best thing about it is that you’re able to bounce back from them.”
“I feel like our way to repay the manager is to be behind him on and off the pitch and fight as a team.
“I’m grateful to the boss for putting trust in me as soon as he came in and giving me all the advice that he has, knowing that he’s been a player and knows the history of this club and what it takes to win.
“I take those words to heart and try to apply them every day.”
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Manchester United’s Injury Crisis After Atlético Defeat: Can Carrick Avoid Another Setback?
Manchester United’s injury crisis and defensive struggles have intensified pressure on Michael Carrick, who must find solutions and secure results amid a demanding fixture schedule without rushing injured players back.
Manchester United's 2–0 defeat to Atlético Madrid on October 13 has put additional pressure on Michael Carrick. United conceded within the opening minute through Pablo Barrios before Ademola Lookman secured Atlético's victory in the 79th minute. The position was further complicated by Leny Yoro's dismissal.
This has been the fifth match without a win for Manchester United, and there’s little time to find a solution. Several players are unavailable, and there’s an upcoming sequence of domestic and European matches that will stress the roster further.
Several positions have been jeopardized by the injuries, and Carrick isn’t really able to rotate the squad anymore, at least not to the extent that allows him to create a strategy.
Benjamin Šeško was listed as unavailable with a shin injury before the Atlético game, and the team has lost another center forward. The attacking approach the team has tried without him has failed to produce goals. This is noticeable in how the gambling industry has approached the Man United games. For instance, according to the crypto casinos in Pakistan, the odds of scoring in the first half have constantly decreased. Casinos such as these provide players with the best way to wager safely and without providing personal data.
Patrick Dorgu, sidelined with a thigh injury, also reduced the manager's options in the wide areas. Manuel Ugarte was another confirmed absentee, with a knee injury limiting United's midfield depth. Meanwhile, Luke Shaw and Kobbie Mainoo were listed as questionable before the European fixture, alongside Noussair Mazraou. He’s been struggling with a back injury for a while.
The absences are especially difficult since they affect several different parts of the team. Missing midfielders make it harder on the defense, which is also missing a couple of players, and the problems pile up.
United’s problems aren’t about injuries alone, even though they’ve made it more difficult. There were defensive vulnerabilities that were especially noticeable in Madrid, and Yoro’s red card left the team without a solution to many of Atlético Madrid’s tactics.
United wasn’t able to turn promising attacking moments into results. Jan Oblak managed to deny opportunities that could change the game, and Bruno Fernandes struck the crossbar. At the same time, Atlético managed to capitalize on every major United defensive mistake.
The Guardian's pre-match analysis highlighted United's inability to convert possession into consistent results, and it was spot on in its assessment.
There are now two tasks for Carrick: managing the team while it’s depleted and improving performance. Even when the injured players return, the team will need much more discipline in the defense.
The schedule facing United leaves little room for the players to recover. The demanding upcoming games require both squad depth and the ability to manage fatigue.
The first challenge is an away match against Leeds United on October 18. It’s a rivalry fixture that always brings intensity, and United needs to deal with the uncertainty in the defense as soon as possible. With limited recovery time after the Atlético match, Carrick may have to balance continuity against the need to rest tired players.
Three days later, United travel to face Como in the Champions League. The rotation will be especially important after such a short rest period. If several players remain unavailable, the manager will have to create unfamiliar combinations, and it can show on the field.
Bournemouth visit Old Trafford on October 25. It’s a chance for United to regain momentum. However, the final league fixture is an away trip to Chelsea on October 31, and it will be a very demanding match.
The sequence of matches is very demanding, and Man United doesn’t have the time to be in a slump due to bad results.
Carrick shouldn’t treat every returning player as a solution to the team’s problems. The worst thing that could happen is for a player to be rushed to return before their injuries are fully healed. It could end up making the injury worse.
Instead, it’s best to use rotation strategically, at least in the defense, but the return of players such as Amad Diallo and the increased availability of other attacking options could help Carrick reshape his forward line.
Manchester United's crisis has made a bad season even worse, but the latest defeat against Atlético has proven that the team needs to do something urgently. The upcoming matches against Leeds, Como, Bournemouth and Chelsea will test Carrick's ability to manage fatigue and work with a smaller squad.
Injuries can explain some of the team’s problems, but they can hardly account for all of them, and changes need to be made.