Mainoo Says Man Utd Are One Win Away After Nine Winless Games

• Kobbie Mainoo, 21, says Manchester United’s players must be “behind the manager on the pitch and off it” to repay Michael Carrick (per Daily Mail).
• United have failed to win any of their past nine matches, their worst run in 38 years.
• United host Roma in the Champions League at Old Trafford on Tuesday, then Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday.

Mainoo Puts the Onus on the Players

Kobbie Mainoo says his Manchester United teammates owe Michael Carrick and the supporters a turnaround, and he believes one win could start it. Carrick has done his best to shield the squad from criticism, and Mainoo wants the players to repay that on the pitch and off it.

“I feel like our way to repay that is to also be behind the manager on the pitch and off it, and fight for us as a team,” Mainoo said.

United host Roma at Old Trafford on Tuesday without a victory in nine games. They sit one place above the Premier League relegation zone, and their head coach is fighting for his job.

The Fans Have Turned on the Players

The mood at Old Trafford has soured. United’s most recent home game was a 3-0 defeat by Bournemouth, and the players were booed by the Stretford End at the end of it. Mainoo accepts the supporters’ frustration.

“In these tough times you can’t expect the fans 100,000 per cent of the time to be happy and cheering when we’re not putting out results, you know,” he said. “We owe it to them to put the results out there for them to cheer again.”

He admits the season has been tough, and he points to the games ahead as the way out. “Of course, it’s been a tough season. We’ve not had the results we’ve wanted, but you know we need to look forward now. There are big, big games ahead and I feel like we’re one win away from changing that.”

“It’s never going to be plain sailing and smooth to the top,” he said. “So you expect bumps and the best thing about them is you’re able to bounce back from them.”

How the Run Got This Bad

Nine matches without a win is United’s worst run in 38 years. Away defeats at Atlético Madrid and Como have left them 21st in the Champions League league phase. On Saturday they lost 2-0 at Chelsea, a result that left them 17th in the Premier League, one point above the drop zone.

Saturday also brought another headline for Lisandro Martinez. The defender had already been fined for his outburst about director of football Jason Wilcox, and he struck Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana in the face while defending a corner. He gave away a penalty and was sent off for a second yellow, and Cole Palmer scored from the spot to put the game beyond United. Carrick still backed him in his press conference on Monday.

“I’ve got no concerns about commitment at all,” Carrick said of Martinez. Martinez is expected to keep his place against Roma, but he is suspended for the visit of Aston Villa on Sunday.

Carrick will also be without Luke Shaw, Marcus Rashford and Benjamin Sesko. Patrick Dorgu is back in training but is not fit enough to play.

The head coach was asked about his own position and did not pretend to know the answer. “I can’t look into the future, I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Carrick said. Carrick survived a close call last week, and the feeling around the club is that he needs a positive result against Roma, and another against Aston Villa on Sunday, to keep his job.

Carrick was upbeat about Tuesday. “You might think I’m crazy with the results we’ve had, but I can’t wait for it,” he said. He also believes the squad is closer than the table suggests. “We are close but need to act on it quickly.”

Why Mainoo Owes Carrick

Mainoo has his own reasons to speak up for the head coach. He signed a new five-year contract in April after re-establishing himself at his boyhood club under Carrick, having asked to leave under the previous head coach, Ruben Amorim. Mainoo’s place in the side was already a talking point under Amorim, who said Mainoo had to dislodge Fernandes to play. He returned to action at Chelsea on Saturday after missing five games.

“I’m very grateful to the boss for putting the trust in me as soon as he came in, putting that belief in me and giving me all the advice that he has,” Mainoo said.

He says the advice comes from a man who knows the club. “Knowing he’s a player who’s been at this club and knows the history of this club and knows what it takes to win, I take those words to heart and I try and apply them every day in training and in games.”

Mainoo has also tried to take on more of the load himself. “I’ve tried to take on more responsibility in the team. I want to impose myself more in games and they’ve definitely helped to do that, giving me more responsibility with taking the ball. There have been ups and downs, but I have to have belief in myself even in these tough times.”

What Happens Next

United have two home games in five days. Roma arrive at Old Trafford on Tuesday, and Aston Villa follow on Sunday. Those two games will show whether Mainoo’s “one win away” claim holds up.

For a 21-year-old who came through the academy, the message has a personal edge. “I feel like I take some responsibility in that and in spreading the word of what is Manchester United, coming up through the academy,” Mainoo said. “I plan to send that message for hopefully as long as I can.”