Michael Carrick’s position at Manchester United is said to be in serious danger following the 4-1 Champions League defeat by Como, although the crisis engulfing the club extends well beyond the head coach.
Como humiliation brought tensions into the open
On Wednesday Carrick responded publicly after Bruno Fernandes criticised United’s tactical approach against Como. The captain questioned the decision not to press man-to-man, while Carrick argued that no system could work without sufficient running.
The result extended United’s winless sequence to seven games in all competitions. The Guardian noted that it was the club’s heaviest European defeat since 1994, intensifying the pressure on Carrick after United had also made their poorest six-game league start since 1986.
Carrick’s position has entered a full-scale crisis
The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell has now assessed Carrick’s position as being “in peril“, writing that concern surrounding the head coach “has now been propelled into full-blown crisis”.
Before leaving the pitch in Italy, Carrick walked over to the small group of travelling supporters who had remained in the rain and raised his hands in apology. The gesture invited comparisons with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s farewell-like acknowledgement of fans following the 4-1 loss at Watford in November 2021.
Whitwell characterised Fernandes’ public intervention as an “acute act of insubordination” and pointed to another visible exchange between Carrick and Matheus Cunha during the first half. Cunha was subsequently withdrawn at the interval, while Fernandes came off in the 67th minute.
The analysis also places responsibility higher up the club. Whitwell argues that the Glazer family established the foundations of United’s long-term decline, while Sir Jim Ratcliffe, chief executive Omar Berrada and technical director Jason Wilcox must answer for the football structure and the decisions made since INEOS invested in the club.
Whitwell also notes that Carrick is working with eight players absent through injury or illness.
From decorated midfielder to the Old Trafford dugout
Carrick joined United from Tottenham Hotspur on 31 July 2006 in a deal worth up to £18.6 million. He made 464 appearances and scored 24 goals before retiring in 2018.
During that spell, the midfielder won five Premier League titles, the Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup, League Cups and FIFA Club World Cup. After hanging up his boots, he joined José Mourinho’s first-team coaching staff and later continued under Solskjaer.
Carrick oversaw three unbeaten matches as United’s temporary manager following Solskjaer’s dismissal in November 2021, before leaving when Ralf Rangnick arrived. He managed Middlesbrough from October 2022 until June 2025, reaching the Championship play-offs in 2023 but losing his job after a tenth-place finish two years later.
United brought him back as caretaker head coach in January 2026 following Ruben Amorim’s departure. Eleven wins from 16 matches delivered third place and Champions League qualification, earning Carrick a two-year contract running until 2028.
Final Thoughts
Carrick’s past service should buy him respect, not immunity. When the captain publicly questions the tactical plan and the head coach responds by questioning the players’ running, the relationship looks too fractured for nostalgia to repair.
Featured image by Marco Luzzani via Getty Images
