Erik ten Hag backs Michael Carrick and urges Manchester United to resist another managerial change

United have won once in seven Premier League games and visit Como in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Erik ten Hag has urged Manchester United to keep faith with Michael Carrick despite their difficult start to the season.

Speaking to Laurie Whitwell for The Athletic, in an interview also published by Sky Sports, the former United manager said: “It is not the solution to dismiss him. 100 per cent not.”

He pointed to Carrick’s work at Middlesbrough and last season at United as grounds for patience, arguing that decisions should be made calmly.

Manchester United’s lost leads leave Carrick needing a response

United’s 1-1 draw at Leeds on Sunday left them with seven points from seven Premier League matches: one win, four draws and two defeats.

Bryan Mbeumo put the visitors ahead in the 35th minute, but Dominic Calvert-Lewin equalised six minutes after the interval. Noussair Mazraoui then cleared Anton Stach’s effort off the line in stoppage time to preserve the point.

Mbeumo had also opened the scoring in United’s previous league game against Tottenham, which finished 1-1. Across those two matches, United collected two points after twice taking the lead.

That gives Carrick a specific problem to address: turning promising positions into victories. At Elland Road, United ultimately needed a late defensive intervention to avoid defeat.

Their next opportunity comes in the Champions League trip to Como on Wednesday, with kick-off at 5.45pm BST.

United lost 2-0 at Atlético Madrid in their previous European fixture. Como also need a response in the competition after a 3-2 defeat at Feyenoord, although they returned to winning ways domestically by beating Fiorentina 3-1.