Forget Bruno: Michael Carrick Must Start De Ligt vs Chelsea to Save His Job

· GiveMeSport

Michael Carrick is being given time to turn Manchester United's fortunes around

Manchester United have decided that Michael Carrick will remain as the club's manager for now following crisis talks, as revealed by GIVEMESPORT on Tuesday , with a trip to Chelsea up next for the 45-year-old.

There had been an expectation among many that Carrick would be relieved of his duties following successive defeats by a three-goal margin against Como and Bournemouth, which has left Man United with two defeats from their three Champions League fixtures and one win in eight attempts in the Premier League.

The Red Devils lie in 16th position and just two points off the foot of the table ahead of their clash against Xabi Alonso's men at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with the former Middlesbrough boss in desperate need of a result when his team travel to the capital.

Another loss against the Blues would leave United chiefs with a decision to make, and Carrick knows he needs to rejuvenate a team who are clearly low on confidence, and a dressing room where some individuals have shown they aren't afraid to speak out publicly about the club's issues.

Two of those players, Lisandro Martinez and Bruno Fernandes , were on the substitutes' bench against the Cherries on Sunday after their post-match outbursts against Atletico Madrid and Como respectively, with Carrick failing to bring his captain on at all in the 3-0 defeat to Marco Rose's side.

The 45-year-old must now decide whether Fernandes will be brought back into the XI at Chelsea, with the players who played in his place against Bournemouth ultimately failing to deliver.

Bruno Fernandes This Season (Excluding Ipswich and Sabah)

- Appearances 9 - Starts 8 - Minutes 704 - Goals 0 - Assists 0

While the Portugal international is the reigning PFA Players' Player of the Year after picking up the record for the most assists in a single Premier League season, all of his goal contributions this term came in the club's only wins against Ipswich Town and Sabah, with his last coming on September 10.

However, Fernandes isn't the only player Carrick should consider starting if he wants to save his job, with Matthijs de Ligt back available.

After 11 months on the sideline through injury, De Ligt made his return to United's starting XI against Como last week, having been an unused substitute against Atletico Madrid and Leeds United previously.

Last season, the Netherlands international played every minute of the Red Devils' first 13 Premier League games, before picking up the issue that saw him ruled out for almost one year.

A 4-1 defeat wouldn't have been the way the £38m star wanted to make his starting comeback, but he showed in 79 minutes on the pitch that he is ready to make an impact from the start of games now.

Following Martinez's outburst and Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro still yet to fully convince as starting centre-backs, Carrick has the perfect opportunity to hand De Ligt his first start of the season at Stamford Bridge.

The 27-year-old is a strong defender who has the experience and composure to help a defence that has been below-par for the majority of the campaign.

Chelsea are scoring an average of more than two goals per game in the Premier League so far this term, and if Carrick wants a more defensively solid backline against the Blues, it would be a smart decision to start De Ligt alongside either Harry Maguire or Martinez in west London.

The Manchester United legend is not impressed by what he's seen from the Old Trafford pair

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