Carrick admits sack is out of his hands as United face Roma and Villa without a win in nine

Michael Carrick conceded on Monday that his Manchester United future could be decided entirely by results, admitting he would be unable to prevent the sack if his side fail to win their upcoming fixtures against Roma and Aston Villa.

The 45-year-old was granted a brief reprieve last week after what appeared to be a certain dismissal following a 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth. But Saturday’s loss at Stamford Bridge extended United’s winless run to nine games — three consecutive defeats — and Carrick is widely expected to be sacked during the forthcoming international break if he cannot turn the tide.

Despite the mounting pressure, Carrick insisted he does not feel as though he is managing his final days at Old Trafford. “No, not at all,” he said when asked if he felt like a manager with just two games remaining in his tenure. “I can’t look into the future, you never know what’s going to happen. I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

He added: “You might think I’m crazy with the results we’ve had and what’s going on, but I genuinely, really can’t wait for the game tomorrow, and that’s all I’m focused on. Whatever happens is going to happen after that, in whatever direction it goes, but we want to make it a big night tomorrow night first.”

United’s Champions League campaign has also been placed in serious jeopardy following defeats to Atletico Madrid and Como, making Tuesday’s home tie against Roma a near-must-win in Europe. In the Premier League, the club’s position is equally precarious — they could drop into the relegation zone by the weekend if results elsewhere go against them.

Carrick did point to an improved first-half display at Chelsea as a reason for cautious optimism, but the second half told a familiar story. The former United midfielder acknowledged that results, not performances, will ultimately determine his fate, and that the decision may rest with the club rather than with him.