Manchester United manager Michael Carrick addressed the media with a sobering six-minute speech on Friday, following his team’s recent slide into a seven-game winless streak across all competitions. The Englishman is currently facing immense pressure at Old Trafford, a situation intensified by a heavy 4-1 loss to Como in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday. To see how the game panned out, it hurt me to see us play that way. For me to see the supporters have to make the effort and the time and spend the money to come and support us on Wednesday and have the feeling after the game, like we all felt, was a tough moment, the supporters are a huge part of this football club. I think it’s important that we all recognise that, I certainly recognise it. “The foundation of this football club and the values of this football club have been put down and etched for many, many years and I totally understand and I get every single one of them. “I’ve seen it with my own eyes, I’ve felt it, I’m aware of some of the individuals and know them closely who have been a big part of that history. Wayne Rooney was the top goalscorer of this football club. The best manager of all time, the greatest for me and working with him and his main priority was Manchester United, sir Alex Ferguson. We’ve had it, we’ve kind of lost our way a little bit if I’m totally honest and we’ll get it back, moving forward. Read – Unai Emery ‘leading candidate’ for Man Utd if Carrick decision made. See Also – Five of the best Premier League away kits in 2026/27.
Carrick pulled no punches regarding the team’s recent display, labeling the performance as a “bad night that hurt a lot. “I think recently we haven’t had a good time, I think that’s pretty obvious. What we’re going through at the moment, i totally accept that. We had five months of relative success in a spell where I was happy with a lot of things that I was seeing and that we were doing as a team. Which I’m totally fully aware of and definitely doing something about, we have gone away from that just recently in certain games. I think it inspires me a lot to live up to that and keep driving that with the players and the group that we’ve shown for a good period of time and that we’re capable of it.
He acknowledged the frustration of the supporters, describing the current standard of play as “really unacceptable. According to he, It’s “my responsibility” to field a team that “represents the supporters” and it “hurts” him that he has not been able to deliver that.
He emphasized that he accepts full accountability for the squad’s output, noting that it is his responsibility to ensure the players on the pitch properly represent the club’s identity and its fan base.
Drawing on the club’s storied past, the 45-year-old manager argued that United’s historical success was not born of entitlement, but rather built upon the foundational pillars of resilience, sacrifice, and humility. Whether that’s comebacks, whether that’s late goals, whether that’s success, whether that’s sustaining success, there’s a resilience in this football club that runs very, very deep, whether that’s bouncing back from adversity. “We’ve won in the past, we’ve got an incredible history but that doesn’t mean that you’re entitled to just win.
He highlighted his personal experience playing alongside club legends like Ryan Giggs, who prioritized the team’s needs above personal interests.
Carrick insisted that the current group must adopt these same characteristics if they hope to turn their season around.
“Manchester United is always bigger and always has been, always will be bigger than any single individual,” Carrick stated.
He expressed that he is determined to drive these traditional values back into the dressing room, stating firmly, “I won’t let us lose that. “Again, it was based on being humble, having humility and hard work and we can never lose that and I won’t let us lose that.
He concluded his address by urging his players to respect the weight of the badge, reminding them that their history does not guarantee future victories without the necessary hard work.
While the manager looks to reorganize his side, the club continues to monitor the transfer market and potential squad adjustments.
Ongoing reports highlight continued interest in Brighton’s Diego Gomez, with a potential January move emerging at a valuation of €60 million. Meanwhile, tactical speculation for the upcoming match against Bournemouth suggests potential starting roles for Baleba, Yoro, and Diallo in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Upcoming Match Fixtures and Ongoing Results
- FK Liepāja vs FK Tukums 2000/Telms: 15:30 Kick-off
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- Wolfsburg Women vs Köln Women: 15:30 Kick-off
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- Eintracht Trier vs Stuttgarter Kickers: 17:30 Kick-off
