Lammens' mistake worsens Carrick's crisis at Manchester United

On Sunday, Manchester United lost at home to Bournemouth by a clear 0‑3, with the Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens making a mistake that allowed the third goal. The defeat deepens the crisis surrounding coach Michael Carrick and is seen by many as a possible end point for the English‑Dutch manager.

Lammens' mistake and the three goals

Rayan opened the scoring in the 38th minute after a free kick, after which Marcus Tavernier five minutes later increased the lead to 2‑0. In the second half Bournemouth had a third chance, but Evanilson was initially offside; later, in the 68th minute, he scored definitively when Lammens reacted too slowly. United seemed particularly vulnerable from the kickoff; Bournemouth constantly found space and created danger, while the home side could barely create chances.

Lammens had previously said that the squad supported Carrick, but on the pitch the coach received no answer. Before the match Lammens had stated that the team was fully behind Carrick. After the defeat he said: “For me personally, I think it is,” and admitted that frustration among the players was high. United had only one win in eight league games before that match and had previously suffered a 4‑1 defeat to Como in the Champions League. Moreover, Carrick put Bruno Fernandes on the bench, his first omission since November 2021, after the Portuguese had openly criticised the tactics. Although United had more possession, the team barely managed to create danger.

Escalation of the crisis around Carrick

The board gave Carrick until the international break in November to improve results, but the 3‑0 defeat could put that decision under pressure. Rumours suggest that Jason Wilcox has named Eddie Howe as the preferred candidate, while other clubs would already be approached. An X account with more than 200,000 followers confirmed that the board wants to keep Carrick until the international break. Man United is under increasing pressure.

Fabrizio Romano emphasized on his YouTube channel that Carrick “has 100 % confidence in this team” and that there are “issues with players”, but also that he is regarded as “fantastic” by the players and the board. Carrick spoke to the media for five minutes on Friday and stressed his confidence.

Some supporters left the stadium before halftime and the chant was heard loudly, causing the pressure on Carrick to rise to a new peak. Lammens' mistake was described by the press as the fatal blow for Carrick.