All eyes are once again on Manchester United today as fans await a decision on the future of under-fire manager Michael Carrick.
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fans → await → Carrick
Man Utd’s hierarchy have a massive call to make once more in the aftermath of Sunday’s remarkable and chaotic 4-4 draw with Aston Villa at Old Trafford, in which Carrick’s side twice came from two goals behind to seal a dramatic point in stoppage time.
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side → have → time
That was just days after they had also overturned a 2-0 half-time deficit to defeat Roma 3-2 in the Champions League and end a dismal nine-match winless run across all competitions.
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they → overturn → competitions
The players are still fighting for their boss and fans once again showed their strong support, though it remains to be seen if these terrible starts to games will ultimately prove his downfall.
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starts → fight → downfall
United head into the November international break sitting inside the bottom three amid genuine fears over a potential relegation battle this season, having won just one of their first 10 matches - at home to newly-promoted Ipswich back in August - and collected only eight points with a tough trip to Liverpool to come next.
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United → head → Liverpool
Carrick was in uncharacteristically spiky mood when answering the latest questions on his future on Sunday night, insisting that he would not resign as a meeting is reportedly now planned to discuss his future with the likes of Eddie Howe, Julian Nagelsmann and potentially even Mauricio Pochettino waiting in the wings.
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likes → answer → wings
Michael Carrick sack news latest
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Man Utd to hold Carrick meeting at Carrington
It has been reported that Manchester United’s decision-makers will hold a meeting over Michael Carrick’s future at their Carrington training ground early this week.
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makers → hold → ground
Football Insider claim that the meeting was already planned regardless of the result on Sunday, with a fresh review of the situation always expected to take place during the November international break after those crunch games against Roma and Aston Villa.
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review → claim → Roma
Director of football Jason Wilcox will reportedly make the final decision on Carrick’s future and is said to have shown his backing for the manager in recent times.
However, United are also said to have done their due diligence on a range of potential replacements including Eddie Howe, Julian Nagelsmann, Unai Emery and Antonio Conte.
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United → make → Howe
A likely crucial day lies ahead for Michael Carrick as Manchester United make a decision on his Old Trafford future following yesterday’s astonishing 4-4 draw at home to Aston Villa.
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United → lie → Villa
It was another wretched start in both halves from the Red Devils, who were 2-0 down after just four minutes, pulled it back to 2-2 before half-time and then trailed 4-2 within eight minutes of the restart.
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who → pull → restart
However, substitutes Joshua Zirkzee and Patrick Dorgu then both struck late to rescue a truly dramatic last-gasp point that appeared to leave Carrick’s position in limbo, with the writing initially having looked very much on the wall.
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writing → strike → wall
The players are clearly still fighting for him, having overturned a 2-0 half-time deficit at home to Roma in the Champions League last week to win 3-2 and end a dismal run of nine matches in a row without a victory across all competitions, while the fans once again sung his name loudly at the final whistle yesterday with their anger still aimed at ownership and those immediately above Carrick.
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anger → fight → Carrick
But United surely cannot go on playing like this and starting matches so poorly.
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United → go → matches
They have crucially slipped into the relegation zone heading into the November international break, when it might well be the ideal time for a new manager to start before a hectic pre-Christmas fixture list kicks in - starting with a daunting trip to Anfield to face fierce rivals Liverpool next.
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list → slip → Liverpool
United sit 18th in the Premier League table - one point off the bottom - with only eight points and one win to their names after 10 games, which came at home to newly-promoted Ipswich all the way back in August.
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which → sit → August
How big a bearing could that have on the club’s decision?
We could well find out in the hours ahead.
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We → find → hours
We will be covering all the breaking news right here, so stick with us throughout Monday and the rest of the week.
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We → cover → week
Man Utd plan Carrick meeting
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Utd → plan → meeting
Manchester United will hold a meeting at Carrington early next week to discuss Michael Carrick's future.
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United → hold → future
Acccording to TEAMtalk, director of football Jason Wilcox will hold the meeting and deciding Carrick’s fate will be top of the agenda.
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fate → acccorde → agenda
United have assessed potential replacements, including Eddie Howe, Julian Nagelsmann, Antonio Conte and Unai Emery.
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United → assess → Howe
Wilcox is understood to have significant influence over the outcome, having previously backed Carrick.
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Wilcox → understand → Carrick
The Athletic’s David Ornstein is unsure if Michael Carrick will be sacked by Manchester United.
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Carrick → sack → United
Ornstein said on NBC Sports, before today’s game: “I think the truth here at Old Trafford is that they do want Michael Carrick to succeed.
“If they wanted to remove him and make a change, I think they would’ve already done it by now and found an interim solution.
“
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they → say → solution
And with that result in midweek against Roma, there was a bit of improved spirit, and let’s see what happens against Villa today.
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what → be → Villa
“Think the truth is, there isn’t a firm plan here at Old Trafford for what to do if they were to make a change.
“No doubt they would’ve had conversations with representatives in recent weeks, and they’ll have more time to do so over the international break.
“
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they → think → break
A disastrous result today and maybe you think there will be a change, but as things stand, they’re continuing with Michael Carrick.
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they → think → Carrick
“I don’t know of a clear alternative plan.”
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I → know → plan
Neville issues Carrick verdict
Manchester United legend has been on pundit duty for NBC Sports.
"Michael Carrick did that last season - so you can paper over the cracks and get a new manager bounce,” Neville told NBC Sports.
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Neville → issue → Sports
"When the new manager comes in, everybody's happy for a couple of months and all of a sudden, six months later, it happens again.
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it → come → months
"You can keep changing the manager and thinking that's going to be the answer.
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that → keep → manager
But this has been proven now over eight managers in 12 years, that's not the answer.
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that → prove → years
"Michael could leave, Michael might stay, we don't know, the ownership don't have a clue what to do.
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ownership → leave → what
Amorim, Ten Hag, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Carrick, Jose Mourinho, Louis van Gaal, David Moyes, Ralf Rangnick - some of them are world class managers who have had success, there are a lot of promising young managers there, ex players who know the club as well.
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who → have → club
"None of it has worked because if you recruit badly, if you've got poor performance department, poor recruitment department, you've not got leadership that is strong right through the spine of the football club you will fail.
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you → work → club
“Every organisation in the world will fail if you've not got an aligned leadership from top to bottom - your board and your ownership right the way through to the person who is stood on the pitch trying to play football.
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who → fail → football
"There are real issues within that football club, you've got people doing those jobs who have never done those jobs before in senior positions.
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who → be → positions
New favourite in next Man Utd manager race
Big movement in the betting markets, as Mauricio Pochettino is stormed into favouritism to replace Michael Carrick.
- Mauricio Pochettino: 5/2
- Eddie Howe: 3/1
- Julian Nagelsmann: 6/1
- Antonio Conte: 10/1
- Didier Deschamps: 10/1
- Unai Emery: 12/1
- Sebastian Hoeness: 25/1
- Fabian Hurzeler: 33/1
(Odds via MGMBET, subject to change.)
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Hurzeler → storm → change
'I expect to keep working'
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I → expect → ?
…and 27 more, not listed.
The Aporia
