Man Utd Fans Continue to Back Michael Carrick Despite Nine Games Without a Win
Manchester United are without a league win in almost two months, yet supporters showed Michael Carrick warmth, respect and appreciation after the 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge. United fans are blaming the club's ownership structure rather than the manager — and here is why Carrick keeps their backing.
- Last league win: United have not won a Premier League game since before the summer school holidays and the closed transfer window.
- Current run: Nine league games without a win, United's worst start to a season in 40 years.
- Points rate: 0.77 points per game — a projection of fewer than 30 points and relegation for the first time since 1974.
- Table position: Only goal difference is keeping Carrick's side out of the relegation zone; no team has won fewer Premier League games this season.
- Next fixture: Roma, with Carrick expecting to remain in charge.
- Managerial record: Seven permanent managers since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, none able to mount a genuine title challenge.
What was said
Carrick is a class act and he still embodies the values United are meant to represent as a club.
United supporters of a certain age still remember the lone fan who turned up to Old Trafford with a banner in December 1989 declaring that Ferguson should leave after "three years of excuses".
The comparison is pointed. Ferguson survived that banner and went on to deliver 13 league titles and two European Cups, which is precisely why the Old Trafford faithful resist the urge to hound out a manager mid-meltdown. Carrick, a former Ferguson player, is viewed as one of their own.
He is old-school in his media dealings — keeping matters inside the dressing room, giving little away publicly and never making it about himself. Some supporters would prefer public anger and visible emotion, but the source makes clear that is not his style. He wears the club suit with pride and speaks in the club's interests.
The numbers
- 0.77 — United's points per game this season, a trajectory pointing to under 30 points.
- 9 — league matches without a win, the club's worst start in 40 years.
- 7 — permanent managers since Ferguson retired in 2013, with no genuine title challenge among them.
- 1974 — the last time United were relegated, the fate this current pace threatens.
- 14 months — how long Ruben Amorim lasted before being sacked after criticising the club's running in a press conference.
Why United fans have not turned on Carrick
Three factors explain the patience. First, Carrick is one of their own, a Ferguson-era player who embodies the values the club is meant to represent. Second, supporters believe the problems lie beyond the dugout: changing manager will not fix the long-term issues while the same structure remains above him.
Third, there is deep distrust of the people making the calls. When Jim Ratcliffe bought a minority stake in 2024, the Glazers agreed to let him control football operations. Erik ten Hag was handed a contract extension after winning the 2024 FA Cup final, then sacked and replaced by Ruben Amorim five months later. Amorim lasted 14 months before being dismissed after criticising how the club was being run in a press conference.
Carrick took over on an interim basis in January and was given the full-time job in the summer after leading United back into the Champions League with a third-place finish. Below Ratcliffe, chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox — both formerly of Manchester City — are the key decision makers. Highly respected sporting director Dan Ashworth left in December 2024 after just five months, having spent five months on gardening leave at Newcastle United.
Some fans even argue relegation would be a blessing in disguise if it forces the owners to sell. Former United players have joined supporters in arguing nothing improves until the club has new owners. The source notes that most reporters covering the Glazers' 2005 takeover warned against leveraged buyouts — buying a company with a high proportion of borrowed money — a practice no longer permitted in English football, though that is no consolation now.
No great clamour for Howe or Nagelsmann
United's top targets to replace Carrick are former Newcastle and Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe and former Germany and Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann. Both are strong candidates, but supporters are not excited by either prospect. A clean slate might extract more from this squad, though there are no guarantees in football.
Unai Emery would be the favourite if available, but he is doing a great job at Aston Villa and is under contract until 2029. Swapping Villa for United at this stage would mean dropping down 19 places in the Champions League table and eight in the Premier League. Premier League clubs are also duty-bound to act in utmost good faith towards each other, making any move for Emery fraught with complications.
Talking points
- If United go down, is Carrick the man to bring them back, or does the rebuild need a completely fresh voice from outside Old Trafford?
- Fans say ownership is the problem — but seven permanent managers since 2013 suggests recruitment and structure above the dugout are just as broken.
- Would relegation genuinely force a Glazer sale, or would the debt-laden structure simply survive a season in the Championship?
- Howe and Nagelsmann underwhelm the fanbase, but both have rebuilt clubs before — is supporter apathy a reason not to appoint either?
What happens next
Roma are up next, with Carrick expecting to remain in charge. Should he depart this month, the source states he can walk out of Old Trafford with his head held high — and come back whenever he wants. Those close to the situation describe his body language at times as resembling a man resigned to his fate. The decisive question is whether Berrada and Wilcox act before the next league fixture or let the 0.77 points-per-game slide continue.
Frequently asked questions
Why are Man Utd fans still supporting Michael Carrick?
Fans see Carrick as one of their own and believe the club's long-term problems sit with the ownership and structure above him, not the dugout, so they will not hound him out to see another manager operate in the same system.
How many league games have Man Utd gone without a win?
United have gone nine Premier League games without a win, their worst start to a season in 40 years, and sit outside the relegation zone only on goal difference.
Who are Man Utd's top targets to replace Carrick?
Former Newcastle and Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe and former Germany and Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann are the leading candidates, though supporters are not excited by either prospect.
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