Manchester United have taken drastic steps to turn around their poor form as Michael Carrick knows they must hit the ground running after the international break
Michael Carrick has faced an anxious wait during the international break with a spate of injuries adding to his concerns at Manchester United.
Following a tough start to the season that has seen the Red Devils win just one Premier League game – against newly-promoted Ipswich – and dumped out of the Carabao Cup, the boss of the 12th-placed Premier League giants has seen the likes of captain and talisman Bruno Fernandes, Noussair Mazraoui and Patrick Dorgu grappling with fitness issues.
Now the United legend has taken steps to address the club’s poor form in an effort to turn things around and bolster their underwhelming haul of just five poins from five league matches so far. Here’s all the latest news from Old Trafford.
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Michael Carrick springs into action
According to reports, Carrick will have a chance to put some of his squad through their paces in a behind-closed-doors friendly.
The Telegraph suggests United are lined up to face Lausanne-Sport, another club under the ownership of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, in the next few days.
It offers the manager an opportunity to assess his players in competitive conditions and potentially experiment with tactical solutions as Carrick seeks to revitalise the team’s campaign.
Specifics regarding the venue and timing of the fixture remain undisclosed, but it will serve as valuable preparation before United face Tottenham Hotspur on October 10.
Lausanne-Sport have suffered an even more dismal start to their domestic season than United. Luka Elsner’s outfit sit bottom of the Swiss Super League, managing just one victory from their nine matches to date.
Benjamin Sesko receives apology
Wayne Rooney has offered an apology to Sesko after questioning the striker’s commitment to playing through injury, reports the Mirror.
The Slovenian forward appeared as a substitute in each of United’s four league fixtures before missing the stalemate with Fulham ahead of the international break due to a shin problem.
This initially prompted criticism from club legend Rooney, who had previously stated on his Stick to United podcast: “If you’re trying to play No9 [for Man United] and you’ve got a must-win game and you’ve got a sore shin and you’re not playing… that’s a big part of the problem.
“Unless you physically can’t play, you play when you’re injured.”
Nevertheless, the club’s all-time leading scorer has since backtracked on his remarks.
The 40-year-old has apologised to Sesko following revelations about the severity of his injury, which forced him to pull out of the Slovenia squad.
“Well, if it’s long-term, then I suppose I should apologise,” Rooney confessed on Stick to United. “So, I apologise, Sesko. I apologise if I misjudged you. Sorry.”