Senne Lammens goes against the grain with Michael Carrick comments as Man Utd boss under pressure

· Mirror

Michael Carrick is fighting for his job at Manchester United

Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens insists the dressing room remains behind under-fire manager Michael Carrick, despite the likes of Lisandro Martinez and Bruno Fernandes voicing concerns in recent weeks. United have endured a difficult campaign since their Champions League return, securing just two victories from their 11 fixtures across all competitions.

The scrutiny on Carrick has intensified following public criticism from two of his star players in the wake of losses to Atletico Madrid and a humiliating 4-1 defeat at Como. Martinez aimed his criticism at United director of football Jason Wilcox, suggesting the club failed to provide sufficient backing in the summer transfer market to support Carrick, leaving the squad stretched for their European fixtures.

Meanwhile, Fernandes took aim at Carrick's tactics. But Lemmens insists he is fully behind the United head coach. Speaking to Sky Sports, the United goalkeeper said:

> "For me personally, I think it [the dressing room] is [behind Carrick].

> "Of course, the people at home can't see that, so we need to also try to look like that when we are on the pitch in the weekend, but I can assure you that we're doing everything we can and we're all together behind the coach, as a staff, players, front office.

> "Everyone knows, of course, they have to do better, but I think we are united and we are trying to get better as a team and together."

Lammens was asked further about Fernandes' comments in midweek and whether tactics were responsible for their difficulties this campaign.

He said:

> "Last season I felt like, playing-wise, maybe we played sometimes better this season, but last season everything just clicked and went the right way for us.

> "We struggled as a team together when they pressed us, but we didn't concede that many goals, and then I think as a counter team a bit more last season we did really well, but you also know, I think everybody knew that we had to improve as well from that, that teams were going to change the way they played against us.

> "So that's why we had to evolve this season and in preseason, we tried to do some different things to get us in the best position to win games.

> "I think we need a little bit more like last season, the way we fought together, even when it wasn't going the best and just trying to fight as a team and defend as a team, I think that's probably something we need to try to get back to."

Fernandes voiced his concern at Carrick and his backroom team following the woeful performance against Como, telling TNT Sports after the defeat in northern Italy:

> "It's a decision from the staff to not press man to man and sometimes leave space behind and try to get the ball, but sometimes when you give too much the ball to these teams they get confidence."

When pressed on whether he believed the manager had got his tactics wrong, Fernandes said:

> "That's on the manager and staff to see it, not me. Sometimes you have to be more brave under pressure, take the risk of pressing high and making them uncomfortable."

Carrick was questioned over whether he would strip Fernandes of the captaincy in the wake of the Como defeat, but remained tight-lipped and insisted he would do whatever he deemed right for the football club.

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