Carrick Backs Manchester United to End Winless Run Against Como
Michael Carrick has insisted he retains the confidence of Manchester United’s senior figures as the club prepare to face Como in the Champions League on Wednesday, but the head coach accepts that a six-match winless spell must end quickly.
Why the Como trip carries added weight
| Key detail | Manchester United situation |
|---|---|
| Current form | Six matches without a victory |
| Champions League fixture | Como away, Wednesday |
| Last Champions League away win | Villarreal, November 2021 |
| Unavailable senior players | Nine through injury, illness or suspension |
| Potential return | Matthijs de Ligt after 11 months out with a back injury |
The difficult opening to the campaign has increased scrutiny on Carrick, 45, and raised questions over his future. He said he did not require private assurances from the club because he understood the demands attached to the job.
“I know the role and the responsibility,” Carrick said. “I understand the reality of it. We have to win matches for things to start falling into place, and we are able to influence that.”
Asked about the support of minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox, Carrick said his relationships within the club remained strong. He added that there were no internal problems, while stressing that results remained the essential issue.
The match in Italy offers United a chance to end a long wait for a Champions League victory away from home. Their most recent such result came against Villarreal in November 2021, when Carrick was serving as interim manager after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s dismissal.
United’s travelling squad has been affected by absences. Kobbie Mainoo, Lisandro Martínez, Luke Shaw, Marcus Rashford and Ayden Heaven have not travelled to Italy, while Leny Yoro is suspended following his dismissal during last week’s 2-0 loss to Atlético Madrid.
De Ligt could be involved for the first time since a lengthy back-injury lay-off. Carrick said the Netherlands defender had shown patience during his recovery and had trained for several weeks, leaving him fit and in a good condition to return.
Selection decisions still to be made
Carrick has not confirmed whether De Ligt will start or feature against Como, with United needing to manage a depleted group while seeking the result that can halt their winless run.
