Manchester United

Michael Carrick spoke to Sky Sports after Manchester United's defeat against Bournemouth: "Leny [Yoro] slipped for one goal, it was a dubious free-kick against Ayden [Heaven] for another.

"I didn't think anyone was close enough to him for it to be a free-kick. Leny's slip is unfortunate, he's got a huge future and he's a talented player. He's made a mistake today and he's feeling it but he shouldn't. Mistakes happen - it's not even a mistake it's just a slip.

"The third goal, the fans were there waiting for us to get something in the game second half if we'd got one chance, one goal in the second half they would have been with us. We just couldn't find that moment and that third goal is a killer moment. From that time it was what it was.

"It's obvious to say that - strange mixed emotions of a finish of a game. Not a nice way to end the game."

On his players: "Tough day for them - we went into the game being rocked a bit and you could feel that on the pitch. They kept going and they're disappointed, they're hurt. The players are feeling it. It's not a nice feeling when you see the disappointment. It is what it is, you have to accept it and that's the situation we're in at the moment.

"It's difficult for me to have a day like this at this club and feel the emotion - the dynamic of what it was like today. Not for me personally but for Man Utd. It was really mixed today. I feel a lot of responsibility, I've been at the club a long time. It hurts an awful to to see us going through this at this moment in time."

On leaving Fernandes on the bench: "There's always times when you're trying to make decisions that are to change the course of play and made a difference but those are the decisions we made today."

On lap of pitch at full-time: "It wasn't a farewell from me. I'm mixed emotions, I'm feeling it for my players, they're going through a tough spell. Some of it we can help, some of it the situation unravels and the boys are feeling it at the moment. Mixed emotions for the supporters to respond in that way.

"To have that connection with the supporters it's mixed emotions, it'll take a bit of time to digest but I certainly appreciate their support. The situation is where we are and we haven't had results or performances that have been good enough.

"It's a tough situation, there's no hiding from it. What it looks like and what's next I really don't know. I will always do my best for the football club and I won't change that now. I love what I do and I feel the responsibility - we'll have to wait and see."

Hear more from Carrick on BBC Sounds

Did you know?

Manchester United have won just seven points from eight Premier League games this season (W1 D4 L3), their lowest at this stage of a league season since 1986-87 (4).

Simon Stone
Manchester United reporter

Image source, Getty Images

After a fortnight dominated by the comments of Bruno Fernandes and Lisandro Martinez and poor results, Michael Carrick needed a strong reaction from his United players.

He did not get it.

Where intensity was needed, he got sluggishness. Instead of concentration and decisiveness, he got careless mistakes and poor decision-making.

Carrick cannot be blamed for the shortcomings of his players - all three goals were easily avoidable, while further errors went unpunished by the Cherries.

That said, United's lack of identity and structure, particularly in the first half, did not bode well for the manager's future.

If there was a plan of attack, it did not go further than producing hopeful crosses and taking pot shots from outside the penalty area. It took United 40 minutes to register their first shot on target.

This was United's fourth consecutive home league game against Bournemouth in which they have conceded three or more goals and failed to win - that this is just a footnote to the result illustrates the scale of the mess they are in.

The Red Devils have kept just one clean sheet in 12 games in all competitions this season, and that came against Champions League minnows Sabah of Azerbaijan.

Carrick's name was sung at the full-time whistle as, teary-eyed, he completed a lap of appreciation and patted his chest.

Supporters clearly see him as a victim of the club's failures, not the cause. As soon as he disappeared down the tunnel, their applause turned to jeers at the players trudging behind him.

Image source, Getty Images

Harry Maguire spoke to Sky Sports after Manchester United's defeat against Bournemouth: "It wasn't good enough. Disappointed to give a goal away so early - another set play - and conceding first in the Premier League it makes it difficult.

"A mistake for the second makes it hard for ourselves. We didn't perform well enough as individuals or as a team and we didn't deserve anything from the game.

"It's not clicking at the moment. Results are not good enough and performances in the last week not good enough. Still early in the season.

"Got to find something, question yourself, look in the mirror - that's the most important thing - think what you can do more and what more you can contribute to the team and if we do that we'll get somewhere."

Do you Feel responsibility? "Of course - you have to look after your own performances and take responsibility. This is a huge club and every day you have to prove why you're wearing this badge.

"At the moment we're not doing enough as players. Michael [Carrick] turned our season on its head last year and we played brilliant football and got brilliant results. This season we haven't performed well enough as individuals."

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After all the stick I got from Manchester United fans for saying they would get thumped by Leeds last weekend, it turns out I was only a few days out - it happened against Como instead.

United have been poor all season, though. That's why I went for them to be despatched like that - the 5-0 scoreline was a little bit tongue in cheek, but the point I was making has been proven this week.

The Bruno Fernandes criticism of Michael Carrick just adds to the problems United have at the moment - it is as if they are at the stage now where you have to pick who you want to back.

I don't know where United go from here but I am going for a Bournemouth win - the Cherries will attack them, and their great recent record at Old Trafford will give them confidence too.

If United do lose, I think it will be the end for Carrick because I just don't see how he survives this.

Even if United get something from this game, it is still just a matter of time before he goes.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Chris Adams
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester United welcome Bournemouth to Old Trafford on Sunday with head coach Michael Carrick's position coming increasingly under the microscope.

After the optimism of pre-season, the Red Devils' campaign has nosedived into disarray, with just one win in seven league games compounded by two abject defeats in Europe and an early Carabao Cup exit.

Calamity in Como

Wednesday's 4-1 Champions League humbling against Como has left Carrick teetering on the brink, his team's form a far cry from the terrific run they went on when he was appointed in January.

Bruno Fernandes was key to United's impressive displays between January and May, but the club captain's outspoken post-match interview in Italy, in which he appeared to criticise Carrick's tactics, must make him a doubt for Sunday. Carrick gave no indication either way in his Friday news conference.

Should the Portuguese playmaker feature, he can rely upon an excellent record against the Cherries, having been involved in nine goals in nine Premier League appearances against them (five goals, four assists).

Last December, this fixture produced a 4-4 game-of-the-season contender. Ruben Amorim was gone within a month, and such draws are becoming a problem for Carrick. United's past three league games have finished level; they last had a longer string of draws in September-October 1992, when they drew five on the spin.

Worryingly for Carrick, Sunday's opponents have become something of a problem team. United are winless in six against the Cherries, drawing four and losing two.

Not all rosy for Rose

Bournemouth head coach Marco Rose, like Sunday's opposite number Carrick, has endured a tricky start to the Premier League season.

One win and three draws in the opening seven games mean Bournemouth are sitting 15th in the table, a point and two places behind Manchester United, although things appear somewhat calmer on the Dorset coast than they do at Old Trafford.

The German newcomer can at least cite his side's results in the Europa League as evidence of his impact since joining in the summer. The Cherries boast a 100% record in Europe, sitting third in the league phase table after their 3-0 dismantling of 10-man AC Milan at Vitality Stadium on Thursday.

Evanilson played his part in winning the penalty that resulted in Bournemouth's first goal against Milan, and the forward has been notably effective in the opening weeks of the domestic seasons.

He has been involved in six league goals for Bournemouth this season, scoring twice and registering four assists – the highest share of goal involvements by one player for a club so far this season in the top flight.

Despite having just one league win to their name this season, only three teams have spent a higher percentage of their games in the lead than Rose's side (43%). Having lost the excellent Marco Senesi to Tottenham in the summer, protecting their leads is a clear problem.

Late goals on the opening weekend against Manchester City and last month against Newcastle United turned two potential wins into a defeat and a draw. In recent years, however, Old Trafford has become something of a happy hunting ground for the Cherries.

Bournemouth are unbeaten in their past three league visits, winning two and drawing one, and scoring at least three goals on each occasion. They are the only team to achieve that in three consecutive league away games against United.

The last team to score three or more goals in four straight top-flight away games against one opponent was Manchester City at Newcastle United from 2020-21 to 2023-24.

With United's current defensive frailties, Bournemouth may well fancy their chances of equalling that record.

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester United boss Michael Carrick has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Bournemouth at Old Trafford (kick-off 14:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Carrick addressed the media for six minutes before taking questions. He started by saying Manchester United "haven't done well enough lately" and have "had a spell that we're really not happy with".

• He said Wednesday's Champions League defeat by Como was "a bad night for a lot of reasons" and "it hurt a lot".

• More on the poor results: "My responsibility is to get a team on the pitch that represents this football club, represents the supporters and is one they can be proud of with the identity that we show. We have gone away from that just recently in certain games, which I'm fully aware of and definitely doing something about."

• Carrick said "the foundations of this football club and values have been etched down for many years" and he understands "every single one of them". He went on to list them as "being humble, hard work and being really proud to live up to those values", before adding: "I won't let us lose that."

• Carrick said "Manchester United always has been, and always will be, bigger than any single individual" and referenced himself and the players being included in that.

• On restoring the values at United: "We've kind of lost our way a little bit, if I'm totally honest. We will get it back - I'm totally convinced we'll get it back. Respect this football club, respect what it takes, because it's very, very important to me."

• He added that "entitlement cannot be at this football club" and it should "take hard work" and "a lot of sacrifice" to be involved with United.

• On conversations with the players since the Como defeat: "It's pretty obvious how we're all feeling. The responsibility for me, in this position, is to lead. I'll hold that umbrella for me to stay wet and everyone else stay dry."

• Carrick dismissed talk of the dressing room being divided following Bruno Fernandes and Lisandro Martinez speaking out after consecutive games, adding: "We just need to get back to doing what we do best - and we will."

Hit play above to hear more from Carrick or listen on BBC Sounds here

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United We Stand fanzine editor Andy Mitten says he "can't see what good can come" from Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes' comments criticising Michael Carrick's tactics "unless he wants his manager to lose his job".

Fernandes turned on the United head coach following one of the most humiliating nights in the club's European history in Wednesday's 4-1 defeat at Como.

It was confirmed on Thursday that the 32-year-old would remain captain, despite criticism levelled at his reaction.

"It's damaging when your best player and captain comes out and throws the manager under the bus. It doesn't help anybody," Mitten told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.

"There will be some fans who say it's good for him speaking out, but Bruno is having a really poor season. He was by some distance the best player for Manchester United last year, he couldn't stop assisting goals, but my first reaction was, 'I don't like this'.

"Fernandes has always chosen his words very carefully because he knows the responsibility and the impact that they have. I don't know if he meant to be so direct, but they're certainly interpreted in a direct way.

"It is a bit different to Lisandro Martinez who wants a new contract and hasn't been making any headway to get one. He had very little to lose.

"Bruno is different, he's the best player and the captain, and he's been very specific about the shortcomings in Manchester United's tactics. I personally think those type of conversations are best kept in the dressing room between the captain and the manager.

"I can't see what good can come from them being aired publicly, unless he wants his manager to lose his job."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds here