Carrick: Man Utd Job Fears Are &#39;Ridiculous&#39; Before Fulham Clash

Michael Carrick says it is "ridiculous" to question his Manchester United future after two or three bad results

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has dismissed any suggestion his job is under threat after a difficult week, insisting it would be "ridiculous" to think that way. United visit Fulham on Sunday after losing at home to Manchester City and then suffering a Carabao Cup exit to Brighton.

Fixture: Fulham vs Manchester United, Premier League, Sunday at Craven Cottage
Headline: Carrick says his job is "totally not" on his radar after "two or three" poor results
Team news: Luke Shaw and new signing Carlos Baleba "have a chance" of being fit
Last result: Brighton became the first side in 50 years to come from two goals down to win at Old Trafford
Stakes: United travel to Fulham looking to end a miserable run of form

What was said

"I know the club, I know the role, I know what's expected here in terms of playing to a certain standard and achieving certain things on the pitch. I get all that."
— Michael Carrick, speaking to the media before the Fulham trip

"In terms of future and ownership and how long I've got in the job, that's totally not in my thinking. It's ridiculous to think that way in the position I'm in, that's just not on the radar."
— Michael Carrick on his Manchester United future

"It's two or three games. It's two or three games too many because I really hate losing, but that doesn't mean the world caves in. In some minds it does, it can't for us."
— Michael Carrick on United's recent form

"It's not a catastrophe or a disaster. It's not the end of the world."
— Michael Carrick assessing the mood around Old Trafford

"There's great feelings, and there's obviously disappointments, and sometimes the smaller disappointments lead to being a little bit bigger. It's just part of coping and being at this great football club."
— Michael Carrick on managing Manchester United

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, genuinely. It's the best place for me to be, in part because of the times when it's maybe not going to plan. Sometimes they are best times to work your way through, to find out a few things and come out an awful lot stronger."
— Michael Carrick on his commitment to the role

"It's not a blame game. We all search for things to look at and point at, or whatever reason it may be and find a blame. Blame me. No problem. I will take the responsibility."
— Michael Carrick on where responsibility for results lies

"But it's not about blaming people. It's about us, it's about us finding solutions and being better. That's as a whole football club."
— Michael Carrick calling for collective improvement

Carrick's messaging is consistent: he is not treating the current slump as a crisis, nor does he believe the club's hierarchy is about to act. That aligns with what has been reported from inside Old Trafford, where there has been no sense that his position is under threat. Senior figures are said to be more focused on the underperformance of individual players than on the manager. The context matters here, too. Carrick won 12 of his 17 matches in charge over the second half of last season, and that body of work continues to carry weight. The boos and chants from supporters after the Brighton defeat are a reminder of the noise around a club of United's size, where every setback is magnified. Carrick acknowledged that dynamic directly, accepting that issues at Old Trafford are frequently amplified and appear larger than they are. He also pointed the finger squarely at himself, offering to absorb the blame, but framed the solution as a collective responsibility rather than a search for scapegoats.

Why Carrick is right to ignore the noise at Manchester United

The underlying logic behind Carrick's stance is straightforward. Judging a manager on three games when he previously delivered a 12-win run in 17 matches would be reactive in the extreme. The Brighton loss, while painful, came in the Carabao Cup, a competition where rotation and experimentation are normal. The City defeat at home was damaging, but United faced a side reduced to ten men after 23 minutes and failed to capitalise — a player-execution problem as much as a tactical one. Carrick's willingness to say "blame me" is diplomatic, but the real issue sits with a squad that has not met the standard expected of it.

The return of Luke Shaw to contention is significant. Left-back has been an area of persistent concern, and Shaw's availability would give Carrick a natural left-footed option in defence, improving balance and build-up play. Carlos Baleba, the new signing, also has a chance of featuring, which would add legs and energy in midfield. Both would help address the on-pitch symptoms of a team that has looked disjointed in key moments.

Carrick also referenced the external inquests that have focused on recruitment, finances and debt levels, his relative inexperience and that of his coaching staff outside of assistant boss Steve Holland. He did not dispute those topics but declined to engage in a blame game. That refusal to deflect is central to his leadership style: he wants solutions, not a public post-mortem. Whether that calm approach translates into results at Craven Cottage will determine how long the "noise" remains manageable.

The numbers

12 of 17 matches won under Carrick over the second half of last season
Brighton became the first team in 50 years to win at Old Trafford after trailing by two goals
Manchester City were reduced to 10 men after 23 minutes in United's home defeat
Carrick, aged 45, is in his first full season as permanent boss

Injury and availability

Luke Shaw: "Has a chance" of being fit for the Fulham trip
Carlos Baleba: New signing, also "has a chance" of featuring at Craven Cottage

Talking points

Carrick's refusal to engage with the pressure narrative is admirable, but a third straight defeat would make his calm stance far harder to maintain publicly.
The focus on player underperformance is convenient for the manager, yet the lack of a recognisable attacking pattern against ten-man City is a coaching concern.
Supporters chanting against the team midweek suggests patience is wearing thin; a flat first half at Fulham could turn Craven Cottage toxic.
Recruitment at left-back has been a long-standing issue, and Shaw's return only papers over the need for a long-term solution in that area.

What happens next

Manchester United travel to Craven Cottage to face Fulham on Sunday. A convincing win would quieten the external debate and buy Carrick breathing space before the next international break. Anything less, particularly another passive performance, will intensify scrutiny on the manager, his coaching staff and the club's summer recruitment.

Frequently asked questions

Is Michael Carrick under pressure at Manchester United?

Carrick says his future is "totally not" on his radar and that thinking about his job is "ridiculous". There has been no sense from senior figures inside United that his position is under threat.