Michael Carrick has said Manchester United’s poor results, rather than reassurance from the club’s hierarchy, will determine his future as he prepares for a Champions League trip to Como.
United have won only two of their 10 matches in all competitions this season and face the Italian side on Wednesday with seven players unavailable through injury.
“I know we’ve got to win football games for everything to flow and everything to fit into place. That’s the great thing about it; we can do something about it,” Carrick told his pre-match news conference in Italy.
Asked about the pressure surrounding his position, the United manager added: “I don’t need any reassurance. It’s pretty clear.
“I know the role, I know the responsibilities. I don’t need anyone else to kind of tell me that or tell me when it’s going well or when it needs to be better. I know that myself.”
Carrick was appointed on a permanent basis in May after an impressive interim spell during the second half of last season. However, his first full campaign has begun with United’s worst start to an English top-flight season in 40 years.
The club were knocked out of the League Cup by Brighton last month before suffering a comfortable Champions League defeat by Atletico Madrid last week. They then drew 1-1 at Leeds on Sunday.
Lisandro Martinez began that match despite criticising United’s lack of transfer activity after the Atletico defeat, but the Argentina international was substituted at half-time and will miss the Como game.
Luke Shaw, Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford, Benjamin Sesko, Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven are also ruled out, further limiting Carrick’s options as he seeks to halt the club’s difficult start.
Carrick is the latest United manager to come under pressure since Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, with victory in Como now central to his attempt to steady the team’s season.
