Carrick admits players are 'hurting' after Old Trafford crowd boos them off in 3-0 Bournemouth defeat

Michael Carrick has revealed his players are deeply affected by Manchester United’s wretched run of form after they were booed off the Old Trafford pitch following a 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth — the club’s second thrashing in the space of a week and their eighth game without a victory.

The Stretford End chanted Carrick’s name as he walked the perimeter of the pitch to acknowledge supporters, but the mood turned sharply as the players headed for the tunnel. Alongside the jeers directed at the squad, there were critical chants aimed at the Glazers, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, and director of football Jason Wilcox.

Carrick said he chose not to address the crowd’s reaction as a group in the dressing room, though he did speak to individual players. “No, it’s not a thing to discuss in the changing room after the game too much, to be honest,” he said. “There’s a lot of emotion in the changing room right now, there’s a lot of disappointment, there’s a lot of the boys quite hurt, to be fair, disappointed with the situation. It’s not like they don’t care, or they want to be in this position.”

The interim head coach stressed that the players are feeling the weight of the slump. “The ones I’ve spoken to — I’ve not spoken to everyone individually — the ones I have spoken to, it’s affecting them a lot, as you can see really with the performance, how much it’s not gone our way, and we’ve not made it go our way.”

Carrick admitted to mixed emotions after receiving sustained backing from the stands despite the result. “Probably didn’t really expect that off the supporters, if I’m honest, but I’ve always felt the support and always felt that connection with them anyway,” he said. “But it’s still to be in such a difficult situation and go through a day like we have done, in a spell like we have done, is certainly difficult to take.”

Director of football Jason Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada were also targeted by chants during the match. Wilcox has not given a public interview since joining the club, while Berrada has not spoken to external media since March 2025.