Man Utd news: Michael Carrick hits back as players raise dressing room concern

· Mirror

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick responded to claims following his side's challenging start to the season

Manchester United have endured a difficult start to the season, with Michael Carrick coming under scrutiny. The club have struggled to match the form that saw his side clinch a Champions League place at the start of the manager’s reign.

Carrick returned to Old Trafford in January and the former United star quickly propelled his side up the table. Momentum has since slowed in the early phases of the new campaign, despite splashing out on Carlos Baleba, Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos in midfield.

As United’s form dipped, club legend Nicky Butt recently claimed that Carrick had been reluctant to return to management after leaving Middlesbrough last year. However, the United boss was quick to dismiss the suggestion as he offered his response.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that being the subject of the latest All or Nothing docuseries is hampering discussions in United’s dressing room. Here, Mirror Football looks at some of the biggest stories surrounding the club.

Michael Carrick hits back

Carrick has hit back at the suggestion that he was unwilling to return to management before taking the United job. The 45-year-old insisted that he is embracing his role at Old Trafford after club icon Butt shared what Carrick had told him after being sacked by Boro.

Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Butt recalled: "I was with Michael before he got the Man United job and spoke to him about management. He went, 'No it's not for me, it's too much. My head's all over the show. I'd only do it for the big job.' The big job is Man United."

When the comments were put to Carrick in a press conference, the United boss said: "I definitely wouldn't be here if that was the case, would I?

> "At this stage. It's the best job I could possibly have. It's the best role I could possibly have. I feel a real privilege of being in this position and a real responsibility, but equally a drive of wanting to make a difference and having success here."

Dressing room concern emerges

United stars are reportedly concerned that filming for Amazon Prime’s All or Nothing series could be hindering their performances. The Red Devils are the latest Premier League club to be the subject of the docuseries, which has previously focused on Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.

The Sun has reported that players are worried that filming is negatively affecting dressing room conversations. It is claimed that the presence of cameras has meant "punches are being pulled" during dressing room debriefs, potentially contributing to the team’s struggles.

However, when asked about documentary filming in August, United boss Carrick said: "That's been fine. It's obviously a little bit new, and unique, but the actual day-to-day workings of it, we have that many cameras around anyway that the boys are kind of half-used to it.

> "We've got to work through it, of course, but they've been respectful. It probably seems bigger from the outside than it is day-to-day when we're working in it."

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