David Ornstein shares Michael Carrick news that Man Utd fans won’t be happy about before Aston Villa game
David Ornstein says he doesn’t know if there’s a clear backup plan in case Manchester United decide to part ways with Michael Carrick after Sunday’s Premier League game against Aston Villa.
Carrick is still in charge even though United haven’t won any of their last seven Premier League matches. They’re currently in the relegation zone going into the game against Villa.
They did get a boost with a great 3-2 win over Roma in the Champions League on Tuesday, but since the Villa game is the last before the international break, it could be very important for Carrick’s future. Still, it’s not certain what will happen.
Before the match at Old Trafford, Ornstein said there doesn’t seem to be a solid plan about who would replace Carrick if a change is made.
“I think they want Michael Carrick to succeed,” Ornstein said. “If they wanted to replace him, they probably would have already done it and found a temporary coach.
“The win against Roma gave a little lift in spirits, so let’s see what happens against Villa. The truth is, there’s no firm plan at Old Trafford right now if they decide to make a change.
“They’ve likely had talks with some candidates recently and will have more time during the international break. If today’s result is really bad, there might be a change. But as of now, they’re sticking with Carrick. I don’t know of any clear alternative plans.”
Fans will hope Carrick can get good results and help the team climb the table. But if things don’t improve, a change might become necessary.
Some names linked to taking over include out-of-work managers Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann. Reports say United’s recruitment head Christopher Vivell prefers Nagelsmann, the former Germany and Bayern Munich coach, while technical director Jason Wilcox favors Howe, who left Newcastle earlier this season.
Antonio Conte has denied any interest in returning to management right now, and ex-England boss Gareth Southgate says he’s not planning to manage a club at the moment either.
Before the Villa match, Carrick said he hadn’t been given any firm promises about his future but also hasn’t been told he might be replaced.
“Just carrying on as normal,” he told reporters. “Maybe a few senior players will be around, but we’ll definitely train next week during the break and have the weekend off.
“Whatever happens will happen, and we need to prepare properly. I said before the Roma game I was really looking forward to it, and I am.
“Playing at home after that win, hopefully the fans are excited to come and support us. We’ve got to repay that with a good performance.”