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Live sport on SN this weekendMan United slump again to leave Carrick on brink
AP •  November 1st, 2026 4:05 am
Manchester United coach Michael Carrick has head in hands as his side lost again at Chelsea | Photo: AP
Michael Carrick's position as Manchester United manager has been jeopardised further with a horror Halloween 2-0 loss at Chelsea in the Premier League, as a red card to Lisandro Martinez only added to the woes of the beleaguered English giants.
Carrick was already under huge pressure — and seemingly operating on a match-by-match basis — heading into the game at Stamford Bridge, for which he restored Bruno Fernandes to the starting line-up after dropping his captain last week.
But it's got worse for Carrick, with United now on a nine-match winless run in all competitions — their longest streak without a victory since 1988 — after second-half goals by Morgan Rogers - a brilliant individual effort - and Cole Palmer.
Lisandro Martinez getting a red card after he struck a Chelsea defender in the face | Photo: EPA
Palmer converted a 64th-minute penalty awarded after Martinez jumped with a raised elbow toward Wesley Fofana at a corner and struck the Chelsea defender in the face.
A video review confirmed the offence and the Argentina defender, already in the spotlight for criticising United's hierarchy in a recent post-match interview, was given a second yellow card in a four-minute span.
As Martinez walked off the field and down the tunnel, Carrick didn't even acknowledge him.
United stayed on just one win in the league after nine games and they're one point above the relegation zone, with the prospect of being in the bottom three by the end of the round, a desperate situation for a club widely regarded as the biggest in the country and, arguably, the world.
United's only two victories from 13 matches in all competitions this season were against promoted Ipswich in the Premier League and tournament newcomers Sabah in the Champions League.
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