Youri Tielemans has backed Manchester United’s decision to keep Michael Carrick, saying the squad does not want “a sudden change” while the club is winless in eight matches.
Sunday’s 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth left the Red Devils 16th in the Premier League with seven points from eight games, a point above the relegation zone. Carrick will be in the dugout at Stamford Bridge on Saturday (October 31) for the midday local time kick-off against Chelsea.
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Speaking to TNT Sports before the trip to West London, he said:
I came here partly because of him, because he wanted me here. He wanted me to help the team out. So I’m very happy for him to stay, and the whole group, we don’t want a sudden change.
He added:
We don’t want a big change that is going to disrupt things more than they are. We just need stability, we need to keep working hard, and it’s going to turn at some point.
The 29-year-old joined from Aston Villa in July after conversations with Carrick, and he said the head coach had tried to implement a system that all the players feel comfortable playing in. He also spread the blame beyond the man in charge.
“It’s not only down to the manager,” he said. “The manager is doing his work. We as players need to do our work as well. It works both ways.”
Captain Bruno Fernandes was an unused substitute against Bournemouth after questioning the staff’s approach following the 4-1 Champions League loss at Como, and Carrick confirmed on Thursday that the captain remains “fully committed” and keeps the armband. Manchester United’s board met on Monday and decided to give Carrick more time, as reported by The Athletic.
Comparing Michael Carrick’s stint as Manchester United’s head coach last season to this season
Carrick took over on an interim basis on January 13 after Ruben Amorim was sacked, and the numbers were unrecognizable from the current run. Manchester United won 11 of his 16 Premier League games, collected 36 points, a league high over that span, and finished third, sealing a Champions League return with a 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest. A two-year deal, to 2028, followed in May.
This season has gone the other way: one win in eight league games, seven points and 16th place, plus two defeats from three Champions League fixtures. The 3-0 home loss to Bournemouth gave the club its worst start to a league campaign since 1986. Manchester United take on Chelsea first, then Roma in Europe and Aston Villa at home before the November international break.
Edited by Vignesh Raja
