INEOS Expected to Keep Carrick Despite Villa Test

Manchester United went into their Premier League match against Aston Villa at Old Trafford with only seven points from nine league games and sitting in the bottom three. A midweek Champions League win over Roma had lifted spirits, but the club’s season remained under pressure.

Journalist David Ornstein said INEOS wanted Carrick to succeed and appeared unlikely to dismiss him solely because of a defeat to Villa. He said the club had no settled alternative plan if it decided to change managers, and suggested that if United had been ready to make a move, it would likely already have done so.

Ornstein said the international break could give the club more time for discussions with representatives. He added that a particularly damaging result might prompt a change, but that United’s current course was to continue with Carrick.

Carrick said he expected training to continue the following week, though he did not know what would happen after the Villa match or which senior players would remain at the training ground. He said the team needed to prepare properly and hoped supporters would arrive encouraged by the Roma win.