Manchester United stands by Carrick despite eight games without a win

Eight games without a win across all competitions and a 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth that stung especially hard at Old Trafford. Given that backdrop, you'd think Michael Carrick's days in charge of Manchester United were numbered. Think again: the manager will remain in the dugout when the team hosts Chelsea this Saturday in matchweek nine of the Premier League.

The confirmation comes from sources consulted by ESPN, amid uncertainty that hadn't fully cleared this week. Carrick, in fact, didn't take so much as an extra day off: he showed up at the Carrington training ground at 8 a.m. local time to resume his routine, after giving the squad Monday off, and by 11 a.m. he was already running the session as if nothing were wrong.

Who made the call to back him? CEO Omar Berrada and sporting director Jason Wilcox, after meeting with the manager himself on Monday at the club's facilities. And there's one detail that carried more weight than expected: the support Carrick received from the Old Trafford stands on Sunday, right in the middle of the lopsided loss, proved decisive in the club's decision to hold off on making a move for now.

A run that won't go away

That said, the pressure isn't disappearing overnight. The former midfielder and ex-Middlesbrough manager goes into this match with just two wins so far this season: against Ipswich in the Premier League and Sabah in the Champions League. Everything else is in the red, numbers that are starting to worry any Red Devils fan.

In the English league, United have managed just seven points from eight matches, the club's worst start since the 1986/87 season, the very campaign before Sir Alex Ferguson took over in the dugout. The table shows no mercy: the team sits 16th, just one point above the relegation zone. That alone explains why Carrick's name keeps coming up in every conversation.

The schedule offers no relief either. After the trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea, United must take on Roma in the Champions League and Aston Villa in the Premier League before reaching the final FIFA break of the year. And as if that weren't enough, another tough test awaits once that break ends: a visit to Anfield to face Liverpool.

With that stretch of fixtures looming, the margin for error keeps shrinking for Carrick. The club decided to back him for now, but the winless run and the standings will keep speaking for themselves.