Michael Carrick’s stay of execution as Manchester United boss may not last long after his team imploded in a 2-0 Premier League loss at Chelsea on Saturday. The visitors wasted a string of chances to take the lead at Stamford Bridge before Morgan Rogers waltzed through the heart of the United defence to open the scoring on 50 minutes.
Lisandro Martinez then ruined any chance of a revival from Carrick’s men with two quickfire yellow cards, the second of which also conceded a penalty converted by Cole Palmer. Winless in nine games, defeat leaves the 20-time English champions still just one point above the relegation zone and in danger of ending the weekend in the bottom three.
Michael Carrick
Many expected Carrick to be axed following last weekend’s 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth. The former United midfielder was instead given the chance to turn his side’s fortunes around and will lament a lack of ruthlessness during the first half.
Carrick recalled captain Bruno Fernandes after he was left out last weekend in the wake of criticising his manager’s tactics during a 4-1 thrashing at Como in the Champions League.
Fernandes should have marked his return with the opener when he blazed over from Bryan Mbeumo’s inviting cross. The roles were reversed when Mbeumo could not stretch to meet Fernandes’s delivery at the back post before twice Amad Diallo was denied by Chelsea’s stand-in goalkeeper Mike Penders.
Arsenal players work in synchronicity: Liverpool boss Iraola ahead of big clash
Andoni Iraola is pleased his side’s performances have left some Liverpool fans dreaming of a Premier League title challenge ahead of Sunday’s match at home to champions Arsenal, even if it is too soon for him to pay much attention to the table.
“For fans, it is good if they have expectations or they think we can win,” he said. However, Iraola stressed that it won’t be easy to beat the Gunners. “We know Arsenal and how good they are. They have very good players, working a lot in synchronicity and we have to be ready for that challenge,” he addded.
