Carrick says Manchester United board back him and rejects Ten Hag’s toxic-culture claim
Michael Carrick says he feels supported by Manchester United’s board but accepts that results must improve before Wednesday’s Champions League trip to Como.
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick said on Tuesday, 20 October, that he feels backed by the club’s board and rejected former manager Erik ten Hag’s description of a toxic culture at United. His response came before Wednesday’s Champions League trip to Como, with United winless in six matches across all competitions.
Asked whether he felt supported by the club’s executive, Carrick replied: ‘Yeah – why wouldn’t I?’ He said he had a good relationship with people at United. That is Carrick’s assessment of his position; it does not establish a formal commitment from the board about his future.
How Carrick responded to Ten Hag’s criticism
The Guardian reported that Carrick denied encountering a toxic culture at United. ‘The players, the staff, they’ve given us everything that they could give,’ he said. Ten Hag’s description concerned his own period in charge, from April 2022 to October 2024, and Carrick was answering a question about his experience at the club now.
According to BBC Sport, Ten Hag made his comments in an interview with The Athletic. The former manager also criticised Cristiano Ronaldo, saying the forward had let him and the team down. Carrick’s response addressed the club environment he has encountered rather than establishing what happened during Ten Hag’s tenure.
United’s results before the Como match
Carrick acknowledged the pressure created by United’s results. ‘I know we’ve got to win football games for everything to flow and everything to fall into place,’ he said. BBC Sport reported that he had not sought assurances about his future and understood the responsibilities of the job.
Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Leeds left United 13th in the Premier League with one league win, according to The Guardian. The Independent reported two victories in 10 matches across all competitions and described the league start as United’s poorest in 40 years. The six-match winless run puts further weight on the visit to Como, where United will seek their third Champions League result of the campaign.
United also face selection problems for the match. The Independent reported that Leny Yoro was suspended and Ayden Heaven was ill, while Carrick said Marcus Rashford was still dealing with a hip issue. Those absences add to the immediate challenge as Carrick tries to end the run without a win.
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Sources and context
- Carrick insists Manchester United board back him after Ten Hag points to ‘toxic culture’The Guardian
- Cristiano Ronaldo let Manchester United down, says Erik ten HagBBC Sport
- Michael Carrick insists he has Man United board's backing amid winless runThe Independent (via Yahoo Sports)
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.