Michael Carrick has been given the chance to turn Manchester United's form around - a shock decision that has divided supporters and Sky Sports pundits. The under-pressure United head coach was thought to be on the brink after Sunday's crushing 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth, but he will be in charge on Saturday as they travel to Chelsea in the Premier League. United's director of football, Jason Wilcox, and chief executive, Omar Berrada, were at Carrington discussing Carrick's future on Monday and it is understood they had already been considering alternatives for the head coach role.
For now, Carrick will remain in charge, and here are the key questions around the decision... Sky Sports News' Rob Dorsett: I feel it's a stay of execution. Carrick has handled himself incredibly well, but the bottom line is Manchester United have got no wins in eight.
It feels to me more like Manchester United haven't sorted out a replacement yet than this being a vote of confidence for Carrick. It's an incredibly difficult situation for him to try to bring unity to that dressing room right now and get a result against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. If he doesn't get a result, then we'll be having exactly the same conversations again.
Sky Sports News' Kaveh Solhekol: I think it's the right decision. You have to give a manager time. Manchester United's problems won't be solved in a matter of months.
It's going to be something that will probably take three, four, five years. Carrick needs to be backed. This sends a strong message to the dressing room, to all those players who have stepped out of line over the past few days and weeks, that Carrick is the boss.
But unless results change, he'll be under more pressure again, especially during the next international break. Sky Sports' Alan Smith: It's probably a stay of execution. Maybe they want to put the successor in permanently rather than having a hiatus in between.
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