'It wasn't a farewell from me' - but horror start leaves Carrick on brink

Michael Carrick's future as Manchester United manager is under major threat following the home loss to Bournemouth on Sunday.

The Red Devils lost 3-0 as their poor start to the season continued - they have won just one of their eight Premier League matches so far and sit 16th - 14 points off the top.

The defeat leaves senior figures at Old Trafford in serious talks about Carrick's future after a horror start to the campaign got worse.

Carrick, 45, took interim charge in January following Ruben Amorim's departure and he was rewarded with the permanent job in May after securing Champions League qualification with an impressive run that resulted in them finishing third.

But United have not won in the top flight since 30 August, when they defeated newly promoted Ipswich 5-2.

"See what happens," Carrick told BBC Sport when asked if he was expecting any conversations on his future.

"I'm not expecting anything. It's just digesting today - we knew it was an important day to try and get us moving forward and we haven't done that.

"For me it's just digesting that and the emotions at the end of the game is something I've not really had before."

Carrick made a big call on Sunday by dropping his captain Bruno Fernandes to the bench.

That decision came after the Portugal midfielder questioned Carrick's tactics in Wednesday's 4-1 loss at Como in the Champions League.

The comments from Fernandes came in the wake of defender Lisandro Martinez issuing an apology following his controversial remarks criticising the club's hierarchy.

Martinez said he had expected more investment in the Manchester United squad and "more from our technical director [Jason Wilcox]".

Carrick made 464 appearances for Manchester United in a playing career at the club that spanned 12 years.

As a consequence, he remains a popular figure among the fans, who chanted his song at full-time in the loss to Bournemouth as he did a lap of the pitch to applaud the supporters.

"It wasn't a farewell from me," Carrick said on Sky Sports.

"I've mixed emotions, I'm feeling it for my players, they're going through a tough spell. Some of it we can help, some of it the situation unravels and the boys are feeling it at the moment.

"Mixed emotions for the supporters to respond in that way. To have that connection with the supporters it's mixed emotions, it'll take a bit of time to digest but I certainly appreciate their support.

"The situation is where we are and we haven't had results or performances that have been good enough."

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville said on Sky Sports: "The Manchester United fans are singing the Michael Carrick song because I think they know what's going to happen here. They've seen this before. He's one of their own and he's popular.

"But the owners, the sporting department and the players are not popular and they've badly let this football club down.

"Those two [Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox] tomorrow are probably going to make a decision that will disgust Manchester United fans, but it's probably necessary.

"It's just an absolute mess."

Those chants in support of Carrick turned to boos after he had left the pitch as supporters appeared to show their frustration with the club's players and hierarchy.

"That says everything to me," former Premier League striker Clinton Morrison said.

"They're with Carrick the fans but they're not with the players. Wow. That was alarming.

"Carrick got a big cheer but as soon it was just the players, they got booed. But they've not been good enough and they deserve to get booed. There's only so much a manager can do.

"The players are not good enough, in my opinion, to win football matches."

Ex-Manchester United full-back Ashley Young added: "Unfortunately for Michael Carrick, it's so disappointing.

"The fans are behind him and backing him and of course they are, because he's a legend of the football club. But the players on the pitch showed nothing. They didn't run, they didn't look like a team together.

"If you looked at the difference to the Bournemouth team, you'd swap every single player for that Manchester United team. It was a poor showing."

With Fernandes on the bench against Bournemouth, Harry Maguire was given the captain's armband for the day.

The defender insisted after the game that Carrick has the full support of the dressing room.

"We're fully behind Michael [Carrick]," Maguire told BBC Sport.

"Coming into the team last season he turned things around and got Champions League football this season.

"As individuals, we're not playing well enough."

Carrick has won just two Premier League matches since he was given the job on a permanent basis.

"When you play for this club you know you're two or three games away from that happening," Maguire said of Manchester United's downturn in form.

"You have to find something within yourself to help the club, help the team and get out of this.

"We will start winning football matches but we have to do it quickly."