Man United manager Carrick faces Rome with job under scrutiny
The coach has lost or drawn nine straight matches, putting a two-year contract signed in January at risk.
By Giulia Marshall ·
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick enters Tuesday's Champions League match against Roma with his position under intense scrutiny. The team is winless in its last nine games across all competitions, a streak that has intensified questions about Carrick's future less than six months into a two-year deal.
Carrick secured the long-term contract after stepping in on a temporary basis in January to rescue the club's previous season. Since then, results have slipped, leaving United with just one win in three league phase matches and a 20th-place standing.
The manager addressed the speculation on Monday, telling reporters, "You never know what’s going to happen." He added that the uncertainty does not change his preparation or his enthusiasm for the upcoming fixture. "I genuinely really can't wait for the game," Carrick said.
Roma enters the contest at Old Trafford with one more point in the standings than United. Both teams are fighting to secure advancement in the tournament.
Aston Villa travels to Barcelona for a match against the reigning champions. Villa holds the maximum nine points after three games, placing it second in the table behind Paris Saint-Germain. Manager Unai Emery acknowledged the difficulty of the visit, noting that Barcelona is among the favorites to win the title.
Emery was reminded of a 2017 round of 16 match when his Paris Saint-Germain side lost 6-1 to Barcelona after leading 4-0 in the first leg. He described Barcelona as part of the elite group of teams vying for the trophy.
Bayern Munich faces Atletico Madrid while star striker Harry Kane said he is days away from signing a contract extension. Kane described recent talks with the German club as good, stating, "We are extremely close now."
Sporting Lisbon defeated Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0 in London. The goal came from Issa Doumbia. Sporting had announced the departure of manager Rui Borges the day before the match. Reserve coach Tiago Fernandes guided the team to its third victory of the season.
Galatasaray beat Stuttgart 2-0 at RAMS Park. Aleksey Batrakov scored both goals, opening the scoring in the 12th minute and adding a second three minutes later.
Paris Saint-Germain plays Villarreal in another fixture on the schedule.
