- Manchester United beat Liverpool
- Bruno Fernandes and others tell INEOS they want Michael Carrick
- Manuel Ugarte up for sale
Manchester United started the week off in perfect fashion with a 3-2 win over Liverpool on yesterday. That scoreline flattered the visitors who were helped into the game by Michael Carrick’s men.
Kobbie Mainoo scored the winner, tucking home a delightful effort to seal all three points. It means Carrick’s men will be playing UEFA Champions League football next season and they clearly want him in charge.
Carrick’s future remains to be determined, though it now feels inconceivable that he won’t be appointed permanently. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be departures this summer as Manuel Ugarte is headed for the exit door.
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Man Utd Back in European Business
United made life hard for themselves at Old Trafford yesterday but they got the job done. Matheus Cunha opened the scoring with a deflected effort before Benjamin Sesko bundled the ball over the line to make it two-nil.
A ruthless first half performance didn’t continue into the second half and it allowed Liverpool to draw level. First, Amad Diallo gave the ball away and Dominik Szoboszlai capitalised to get one back before Cody Gakpo pounced on a rare Senne Lammens mistake to equalise.
Mainoo then came to the fore with the winner just days after putting pen to paper on a new long-term deal. It was the ideal way for him to mark the occasion.
Fernandes Tells INEOS It’s Carrick
Carrick continued to remain tight-lipped over the possibility of him landing the United job full-time. That’s the approach he’s had when questioned about his future since replacing Ruben Amorim in January and overseeing the Red Devils’ return to Champions League football.
According to Alex Crook of talkSPORT, Bruno Fernandes, Harry Maguire, Cunha and several other players have now told INEOS they want Carrick to stay. That is a massive boost for the English coach and makes clear that this squad are with him.
Carrick has won 10 and lost two of his 14 games in charge. That includes victories over Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Liverpool.
Away With Ugarte
While Carrick might well be closing in on staying at United, it seems increasingly likely that Ugarte’s days at Old Trafford are numbered. The Uruguayan midfielder has struggled since arriving from Paris Saint-Germain in a £50m deal in 2024.
Ugarte wasn’t used off the bench in the win over Liverpool. A report from Samuel Luckhurst of The Sun claims that United are ready to sell the 25-year-old to sign a third new midfielder.
If the club aren’t able to offload Ugarte, they are willing to enter next season with him as a fourth-choice midfielder. The transfer chiefs are already preparing to replace Casemiro after his contract expires.
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