Mail Sport: Man United temporarily retain Carrick; Chelsea match to decide future

The Mail Sport notes that Manchester United have decided to keep Carrick for now, with his future to be determined after the Chelsea match.

According to sources within Manchester United, the club hopes to defuse the considerable noise surrounding Carrick's future. After the 0-3 defeat to AFC Bournemouth, most people assumed his time was up.

However, it wasn't until Tuesday that the public learned this was not the case, at least not yet.

This latest development means Carrick and his coaching staff will lead the team in Saturday's early kick-off against Chelsea. This is a final gamble to see if fan support can give him the long-awaited fresh start he desires. The fact that Carrick was applauded by fans after the AFC Bournemouth debacle, while the players were booed, made an impression on the hierarchy during Monday's crisis meeting.

For this reprieve to become a long-term arrangement and a turning point in Manchester United's prolonged cycle of struggles, several things still need to happen.

The Mail Sport points out that Carrick must deliver results in three key areas quickly to ensure the hierarchy doesn't regret this decision.

1. Win first!

Simply put, Carrick must go to Chelsea this weekend and win the match.

With only two wins in 12 games this season – a Champions League victory over Azerbaijan side Sabah and a home win against promoted Ipswich Town – Carrick has no time for the slump to continue.

Manchester United are currently 16th in the Premier League, just one point above the relegation zone, and it's not impossible for them to drop into the bottom three by the end of this weekend.

Bluntly, Carrick needs to win. Consecutive victories against Chelsea – who performed poorly last week in a 0-2 home loss to Tottenham Hotspur – and Roma – who are in excellent, unbeaten form in Serie A – would be the ideal response.

An eight-game winless streak is Manchester United's worst record since the 2015-16 season. The loss to Como – the worst so far – and the humiliation by AFC Bournemouth have severely damaged fan confidence.

In the long run, performance is important, but what Manchester United needs more now is victory. Carrick must secure a win on Saturday, no doubt about it.

2. Get Bruno back to his best form

Without the support of captain Bruno Fernandes, neither Manchester United nor Carrick will go far in the short term. He is undoubtedly the team's best player.

Of course, he has been somewhat disgruntled recently. Being substituted against Como – which was uncommon under the previous manager – and then being benched without playing against AFC Bournemouth, clearly frustrated him. Carrick has sent a strong message.

However, both sides have now made concessions, and reconciliation seems to have been reached between the captain and the manager. This week, they had a face-to-face meeting at the Carrington training ground. This was a wise move for all parties, especially Carrick.

Fernandes is the current PFA Player of the Year, and at his best, he is indeed a world-class player. He has been far from that level this season, but it was under Carrick in the latter half of last season that he delivered his best performances.

Hopefully, both sides have cleared the air and laid bare their disagreements. Carrick can now focus on getting Fernandes back to his best form. Yes, the Portuguese captain might still hold firm on his views, but these are tough times for everyone, and things will only improve if the captain first takes responsibility and then raises standards, starting at Stamford Bridge.

As long as Fernandes plays well, match results tend to go Manchester United's way.

3. Fix the defense quickly!

Manchester United are one of only two teams in the Premier League this season yet to keep a clean sheet. They are conceding an alarming number of goals.

They conceded four goals away to Como, followed by three more against AFC Bournemouth – and it could have been more. In six away games across all competitions this season, they have conceded at least two goals in four of them, picking up only three points from a possible 18, all from draws.

Carrick led the team to three consecutive away clean sheets at the end of last season, including a 1-0 victory at Chelsea. Manchester United must now rediscover defensive solidity and a bit of aggression.

Maguire spoke of courage, Lisandro Martínez spoke of quality. Whatever the problem is – most likely a combination of both, and more – with so many defensive coaches in Carrick's staff, there's no reason for Manchester United to be so poor in this area.

The defending against AFC Bournemouth was so poor it deserved to be set to the tune of the "Benny Hill Theme." The individual errors by Yoro, Ayden Heaven, and Leny Yoro were particularly egregious.

Manchester United's defensive standard is certainly not at the level of top league teams, but it's also much better than what they are currently showing.

Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard said this week that Manchester United assistant coach Steve Holland is one of the best coaches he has ever worked with. If he says so, it can be taken seriously.

Jonathan Woodgate and Gary Neville are also there; they know what they're talking about.

Ultimately, it's a matter of attitude and commitment. Manchester United players must be willing to defend and take pride in keeping clean sheets. They haven't done so yet, but they need to rediscover the solid defending that Carrick and the coaching staff instilled at the end of last season – starting this Saturday.