United sit 13th after the derby on 13 September, a match in which Phil Foden was sent off in the first half and Erling Haaland scored the only goal from a set piece that has since drawn an admission of an officiating error from the referees’ body.

The result and the manner of it turned up the pressure on Carrick, who took over as interim manager after Ruben Amorim’s dismissal in January 2026 and earned the job permanently after guiding United to a third-place finish. From inside the club, the message this week is that he is not going anywhere.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano reported this week that INEOS’s confidence in the 45-year-old has not shifted.

“Man Utd absolutely remain convinced that the future will be bright under Michael Carrick,” Romano said.

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“But they maintain total faith and confidence in Michael Carrick.”

The disappointment inside the club, Romano added, sits with the summer window rather than with the manager. United had targeted a left-back but pulled back from a signing they were not convinced by.

“Manchester United absolutely know that maybe the point about the summer transfer window was to add one more player, a left-back,” Romano said. “They tried. It was not possible to proceed with the right options.”

Carrick blames the officials for the derby defeat

Carrick’s own frustration on 13 September pointed less at his players than at the officials.

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Speaking to NBC Sports after the match, he said the decision to allow Haaland’s goal was impossible to reconcile with the tools referees are given.

“If that’s the definition of not interfering with play with our defender next to him within an inch of the ball, it’s a staggering decision,” Carrick said.

“I couldn’t understand it once I’ve seen it and the explanation makes it even worse. Incredible.”

United had more than an hour with a numerical advantage after Foden’s red card but could not turn possession into a goal. The result extended a start that reads defeat to Hull City, a 5-2 win over Ipswich Town, and a draw with Everton after leading by two.

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Carrick turns focus to the cups

The board’s patience will be tested again quickly. United host Brighton in the Carabao Cup third round at Old Trafford before travelling to Fulham on 20 September, and Carrick has framed the domestic cups as a route to something tangible this season.

“For me, trophies is the beauty and the feeling of winning, is what we are in football for,” Carrick told reporters before the Brighton tie.

Romano says the manager sees the same horizon the board does.

“Carrick remains absolutely convinced that this team can do very well in the next weeks and months, especially after the break,” Romano said.

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United’s next Premier League fixture is at Fulham on 20 September.

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