Manchester United make shock Michael Carrick sack decision before Chelsea clash

It was widely expected he would be fired after Sunday’s 3-0 defeat by Bournemouth, but he has managed to cling on to his job once again.Standard Sport understands he will be in the away dugout as United visit Stamford Bridge this weekend, with the club keen to give him and his squad the opportunity to turn their form around.The club will train as usual in the meantime, with club sources insisting the squad are fully focused on proving themselves on the pitch.It is a surprise to see United stand by Carrick, given he had been widely expected to be relieved of his duties after both recent defeats by Como and Bournemouth.Carrick held crisis talks with club executives Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada at Carrington on Monday, before watching the club’s Under-21s take on Hull City.Under pressure: Michael CarrickPAThose talks were intended to clear up United’s immediate future, and it seems they are prepared to stand by Carrick a little while longer.United, though, are already said to be lining up replacement candidates in Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann, both of whom have reportedly been sounded out by the club’s executives.There is a general acceptance among supporters that Carrick has been let down by a subpar transfer window, in which United spent heavily on three midfielders but did not address glaring issues elsewhere in the squad.Read MoreThere has also been clear unrest among some of his players, with both his captain Bruno Fernandes and Lisandro Martinez publicly criticising the club’s direction in recent interviews.This weekend’s trip to Chelsea may come at a fortunate time, with the Blues working without two key players in Reece James and Joao Pedro. They are also fresh off the back of a galling derby defeat by Tottenham - their first at Stamford Bridge since 2018 - though they do have the opportunity to bounce back on Wednesday as they visit Liverpool in the Carabao Cup.After visiting Chelsea, United host Roma in the Champions League and Aston Villa in the Premier League before heading into the November international break.