Should Under-Pressure Michael Carrick Be Fearing for His Man Utd Job?

Manchester United have taken five points from five Premier League games.

Michael Carrick was appointed on a permanent basis in the summer. | Martin Rickett/PA Images/Getty Images

There reportedly appears to be no “immediate threat” on Michael Carrick’s position as Manchester United manager, even if the Red Devils deliver a disappointing result on their return to Premier League action following the extended September-October international window.

United face a Tottenham Hotspur team rooted to the foot of the standings, even after a monstrous summer spend in the transfer market, seeking to build some positive momentum after taking five points from five matches to start the league campaign.

Carrick’s 17 games in charge last season yielded more points than champions Arsenal achieved over the same period. He will feel that his team isn’t a million miles away from the results he expects, given single lapses in two games and an objectively shocking refereeing mistake in another have been responsible for costing United five points so far. The Red Devils have had the ball in the right areas of the pitch and are equaling Arsenal in the attacking third.

According to the Daily Mail, there is “no appetite for change” from those above him in the Old Trafford hierarchy. Ruben Amorim, who was overseeing gradual improvement off the back of an extremely poor 2024–25 season, ended up digging his own grave by airing his frustrations in public last January and wasn’t going to be fired until that happened.

It’s a results-based business but increased scrutiny should the Spurs match not end in victory still wouldn’t see the club “hit the panic button” over Carrick’s position. It was reported at the end of September that the players by and large still back and support the incumbent.

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Carrick’s Challenging Opportunity to Build Momentum

Carrick will feel Man Utd should have more points than they do. | Bradley Collyer/PA Images/Getty Images

Tottenham ought to be the perfect opponent for United at this juncture. They sit in last place after failing to win any of their opening five Premier League matches and taking just two points. United are the division’s joint-sixth highest scorers at this stage, while they should benefit from Spurs possessing the second weakest attack—only two goals so far and blanks in four matches.

Momentum and confidence are everything in professional sports but United will be tested over the coming weeks purely because of how busy the schedule is. Between the now concluded September-October international window and the next one in mid-November, the Red Devils play eight times in two competitions over the space of just four weeks.

Leeds United at Elland Road on Oct. 18 is a tricky one in the Premier League given the Yorkshire team’s strong start to the season. More challenging is that it’s sandwiched between Champions League trips to Atlético Madrid and Como. A visit from Bournemouth to follow ought to be more straightforward, but then comes Chelsea away, before successive home matches against Roma and an improving Aston Villa coming out of their own slow start.

Man Utd’s Next Eight Matches

Date	Opponent	Competition
Oct. 10, 2026	Tottenham Hotspur (H)	Premier League
Oct. 13, 2026	Atlético Madrid (A)	Champions League
Oct. 18, 2026	Leeds United (A)	Premier League
Oct. 21, 2026	Como (A)	Champions League
Oct. 25, 2026	Bournemouth (H)	Premier League
Oct. 31, 2026	Chelsea (A)	Premier League
Nov. 3, 2026	Roma (H)	Champions League
Nov. 8, 2026	Aston Villa (H)	Premier League

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