Michael Carrick says he is looking forward to Roma test at Old Trafford

Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick said he is looking forward to Tuesday's Champions League meeting with Roma at Old Trafford despite United going into the game without a win in nine matches in all competitions. "You might think I'm crazy with the results we've had and what's going on, but genuinely, I really can't wait for the game," said Carrick.

United's run of nine matches without a victory is their worst since 1988-89 and they have not gone 10 without a win in a single campaign since 1977-78, amid a growing feeling Carrick will lose his job during the forthcoming international break. Roma's only defeat so far this season was at home to Real Madrid in the Champions League last month, when they led 3-1 with seven minutes left. United sit 17th in the Premier League and, after defeats by Atletico Madrid and Como, have slumped to 21st in the Champions League table after three games, with only the top 24 making it through.

Carrick watched over a lively open session of pre-match training at Carrington, and said "I'm really looking forward to it." Striker Bryan Mbeumo and midfielder Carlos Baleba were particularly vocal in the session, while Argentina defender Lisandro Martinez was fully engaged despite his red card at Chelsea, which triggered such a negative reaction.

With calls for Martinez to be dropped for the Roma game, Carrick addressed the incident and the wider questions around the squad. "Things happen in football," he said. "Sometimes you do things; you make a decision, you make mistakes. Sometimes it goes well for you." He added: "Perceptions are a funny thing. They can make things look all sorts of different ways. The dressing room is a good place. "I've said it before, I don't question the commitment of the players, to the club and to me and to each other. We need to play better. We can make better decisions. But commitment's not a thing at all."

England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, who sat alongside Carrick at the media conference, returned from a four-match absence with a muscular issue as a second-half substitute at Chelsea. At 21, Mainoo is one of the youngest players in Carrick's squad; having joined the club as a seven-year-old he is also the longest serving and has scored eight goals in 110 appearances for Manchester United. "I've been at this club for a long time and know there's always going to be ups and downs," he said. "It's never going to be plain sailing and smooth to the top. You expect bumps."

Mainoo acknowledged the difficulty of the campaign and expressed belief in a quick change of fortunes. "Of course it's been a tough season. We've not had the results we've wanted, but I feel like we're one win away from changing that," he said.

United's wider historical context was outlined alongside current troubles: they were last relegated in 1973-74 and have not been in the relegation zone after nine games or more since November 1986, when they collected a single point in Sir Alex Ferguson's first two games in charge following Ron Atkinson's dismissal. Their lowest position after at least nine games of a season since then was 17th in 1989-90, and they were 16th under Ruben Amorim after 37 games of the 2024-25 season.

"United's a huge club," Mainoo said of the responsibilities that come with playing there. "I think a lot of people know the values this club holds and have been passed down through the people who've worked here and played here. "I feel like I take some responsibility in spreading the word of what Manchester United is, coming up through the academy, and I plan to send that message for as long as I can."

United host Roma at Old Trafford on Tuesday in the Champions League, with their current position 21st in the competition after three games and only the top 24 progressing.