Harry Maguire has demanded a significant improvement from Manchester United’s players after their 3-0 Premier League defeat to Bournemouth, while making it clear that he still believes Michael Carrick deserves the opportunity to turn things around.

According to a report by Metro on Sunday, October 25, 2026, the defender acknowledged the seriousness of United’s poor form but insisted that the manager should not be made the immediate scapegoat for the club’s difficulties.

The defeat at Old Trafford extended Manchester United’s winless streak to eight matches in all competitions, putting further pressure on Carrick. The club have also endured a disappointing Premier League campaign, recording just one victory from their opening eight fixtures and dropping to 16th place.

Maguire wore the captain’s armband against Bournemouth because Bruno Fernandes remained on the bench throughout the game. The United captain’s omission followed reports that he had criticised Carrick and his coaching staff after the team’s 4-1 defeat to Como.

Speaking to Sky Sports after Sunday’s loss, Maguire admitted that both the team’s performances and results had been unacceptable. He called on his teammates to take responsibility for their individual contributions and assess what they needed to do differently.

The England international stressed that United could not continue playing at their current level, warning that urgent improvements were necessary if they were to get their season back on track.

However, despite his strong assessment of the team’s performance, Maguire offered words of support for Carrick. He pointed to the manager’s previous spell in charge, during which United finished third in the Premier League and qualified for the Champions League.

The defender maintained that the squad remained behind the manager, although he acknowledged that the players themselves had to produce much better performances.

Carrick, meanwhile, admitted that he had yet to find a way out of the club’s difficult situation. He revealed that he had explored different approaches in an attempt to prevent the team from slipping into its current run of poor results, but those efforts had not delivered the desired outcome.

The manager also accepted that several issues had contributed to United’s struggles without identifying one specific reason for their decline.

With criticism increasing after the Bournemouth defeat, uncertainty continues to surround Carrick’s position. Maguire’s public backing, however, suggests that the manager still has support from at least one experienced member of the dressing room as United attempt to revive their campaign.