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United, who start the day in the bottom three, ended a nine-match winless run with an incredible comeback against Roma in midweek as Carrick continues to fight for his future
Manchester United host Aston Villa in the Premier League as under-fire manager Michael Carrick looks to build on their incredible comeback victory against Roma in midweek and stay in his job beyond the international break.
Carrick’s side ended a nine-match winless run as they came from behind to beat Roma on Tuesday and they now face an Aston Villa team guided by a head coach in Unai Emery who looks set to reject the chance to move to Old Trafford in order to keep developing his new-look squad.
The subject of Carrick’s future continues to dominate United’s last match for two weeks, but The Independent reported that interest in Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann, previously the two frontrunners for the job if Carrick is sacked, has cooled significantly.
It means United, who started the day in the bottom three, remain in limbo as they bid to respond to back-to-back Premier League defeats against Emery’s side, who are unbeaten in five games in the division with in-form striker Nicolas Jackson scoring five goals in his last five.
Follow updates from Manchester United v Aston Villa in the Premier League, below
The comeback against Roma began with a penalty won by Matheus Cunha and scored by Bruno Fernandes. Cue another 3-2?
Richard Jolly8 November 2026 16:48
It was Fernandes’ retaken penalty that sparked the comeback against Roma on Tuesday.... can the captain get United back in it now?
He can! Sends Suzuki the wrong way.
Game on?
Jamie Braidwood8 November 2026 16:47
13 mins: Now, now! It’s Cunha, who spared the comeback against Roma, who drives forward into the box, before he is chopped down by Kamara.
A chance for United to respond!
Jamie Braidwood8 November 2026 16:45
11 mins: Aston Villa fans are having a good time. “You’re going down with Man City”, they cry. They’re also telling Youri Tielemans, who starts against them for the first time, that he should have “signed for a big club”.
Jamie Braidwood8 November 2026 16:44
10 mins: In midweek, Roma paid the price for not finishing United off.
Jackson suddenly has the who half in front of him, but Maguire slows him down.
Fernandes then drags a shot wide. It’s been a frantic start.
Jamie Braidwood8 November 2026 16:43
8 mins: Unsurprisingly, this is the earliest United have been 2-0 down in a Premier League game.
Aston VIlla cannot believe it.
Jamie Braidwood8 November 2026 16:40
United were two down after 18 minutes to Roma. They have taken that to another level here, going two down in four.
Richard Jolly, at Old Trafford 8 November 2026 16:39
TWO IN FOUR MINUTES.
Ridiculous. Astonishing. Have United ever been lower?
Alysson’s shot is straight at Lammens but he can’t keep hold of it.
Nicolas Jackson is there to finish and continue his scoring run.
United are two down, already!
Jamie Braidwood8 November 2026 16:36
A spectacularly bad start, even by United's standards. If Senne Lammens was most at fault for Alysson's goal, it is the third successive goal United have conceded where Diogo Dalot was partly culpable
Richard Jolly 8 November 2026 16:36
INSIDE ONE MINUTE.
Incredible start for Villa! More disaster for United and Carrick!
It’s a copy of Tuesday night against Roma. McGinn feeds the ball to his right and there’s Alysson is, unbelievably, in all the space he needs.
He fires the ball through Lammens’ legs and Old Trafford is stunned.
United, who start the day in the bottom three, ended a nine-match winless run with an incredible comeback against Roma in midweek as Carrick continues to fight for his future
Manchester United host Aston Villa in the Premier League as under-fire manager Michael Carrick looks to build on their incredible comeback victory against Roma in midweek and stay in his job beyond the international break.
It was Tuesday night all over again at Old Trafford as United fell two goals down inside the first five minutes. Goals from Alysson and Nicolas Jackson gave Unai Emery’s side a dream start, the earliest United had been 2-0 down in a Premier League game.
But, like in midweek, United responded well. Matheus Cunha was fouled in the box by Boubacar Kamara and Bruno Fernandes stepped up to pull one back, sparking a period of constant United pressure as goalkeeper Zion Suzuki was forced into several saves.
Follow updates from Manchester United v Aston Villa in the Premier League, below
26 mins: Suzuki was scrambling as the ball fell to Fernandes and his shot was blocked by McGinn! It drops just wide of the post. It’s been all United since Fernandes pulled one back.
Perhaps going 0-2 down was deliberate.
Jamie Braidwood8 November 2026 16:58
Cunha represents United's best hope of turning this around. Partly because of his catalytic display against Roma but partly because he seems to have the better of Taylor Harwood-Bellis, who is making his first Premier League appearance for Villa at right-back. Which, it is very clear to see, is definitely not his best position.
Richard Jolly, at Old Trafford 8 November 2026 16:57
24 mins: Cunha appears to be in the mood. The Brazilian cuts inside and bends a shot towards the top corner. Suzuki springs to his left to claw it away.
Jamie Braidwood8 November 2026 16:56
18 mins: What is it about Manchester United and chasing a game? It feels like they have more of a chance now than they did at kick-off. Old Trafford is up for it too, urging the players to press as Villa pass it around the back. There is life and energy in Carrick’s struggling side now.
Jamie Braidwood8 November 2026 16:51
The comeback against Roma began with a penalty won by Matheus Cunha and scored by Bruno Fernandes. Cue another 3-2?
Richard Jolly8 November 2026 16:48
It was Fernandes’ retaken penalty that sparked the comeback against Roma on Tuesday.... can the captain get United back in it now?
He can! Sends Suzuki the wrong way.
Game on?
Jamie Braidwood8 November 2026 16:47
13 mins: Now, now! It’s Cunha, who spared the comeback against Roma, who drives forward into the box, before he is chopped down by Kamara.
A chance for United to respond!
Jamie Braidwood8 November 2026 16:45
11 mins: Aston Villa fans are having a good time. “You’re going down with Man City”, they cry. They’re also telling Youri Tielemans, who starts against them for the first time, that he should have “signed for a big club”.
Jamie Braidwood8 November 2026 16:44
United, who start the day in the bottom three, ended a nine-match winless run with an incredible comeback against Roma in midweek as Carrick continues to fight for his future
Manchester United host Aston Villa in the Premier League as under-fire manager Michael Carrick looks to build on their incredible comeback victory against Roma in midweek and stay in his job beyond the international break.
Carrick’s side ended a nine-match winless run as they came from behind to beat Roma on Tuesday and they now face an Aston Villa team guided by a head coach in Unai Emery who looks set to reject the chance to move to Old Trafford in order to keep developing his new-look squad.
The subject of Carrick’s future continues to dominate United’s last match for two weeks, but The Independent reported that interest in Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann, previously the two frontrunners for the job if Carrick is sacked, has cooled significantly.
It means United, who started the day in the bottom three, remain in limbo as they bid to respond to back-to-back Premier League defeats against Emery’s side, who are unbeaten in five games in the division with in-form striker Nicolas Jackson scoring five goals in his last five.
Follow updates from Manchester United v Aston Villa in the Premier League, below
Julian Nagelsmann’s stock has significantly dropped, meanwhile. While Manchester United’s Christoph Vivell is said to be a fan, others in the hierarchy will be aware that Bayern Munich would not speak highly about his time there. The players didn’t respond well to his approach or personality, and the image persists of Nagelsmann arriving to training on a skateboard. It is hard not to think of a line from The Sopranos. In the same way “a don doesn’t wear shorts”, a Manchester United manager doesn’t have a skateboard.
Miguel Delaney, Chief Football Writer 8 November 2026 12:40
Manchester United have been racked by indecision over the future of Michael Carrick. Numerous sources say there is a sense that no one was actually willing to make a call on the manager, a problem compounded by the fact they have “little idea” over a replacement.
In fairness, there are questions and debates over all of the main alternatives. United are understood to be much less sold on Eddie Howe than perception would have it. Sebastian Hoeness is highly rated, but his appointment would still involve a huge Ruben Amorim-like leap from Stuttgart. Fabian Hurzeler might struggle without Brighton’s structure amid higher stakes, and there are doubts over whether United can even afford the compensation. Cesc Fabregas is impressing at Como but isn’t going anywhere for now, and is viewed as Mikel Arteta’s eventual successor at Arsenal.
Miguel Delaney, Chief Football Writer8 November 2026 12:35
Manchester United remain in a ‘will they, won’t they’ situation as they prepare to host Aston Villa in the Premier League and their last match before the international break.
Michael Carrick has so far survived the thrashing at Como, the humiliation at Bournemouth and the unravelling at Chelsea, while finally ending United’s nine-match winless run by beating Roma in the Champions League in midweek.
But will that be enough? Or can Unai Emery’s Aston Villa give United another day to forget and leave the Old Trafford hierarchy with a decision to make over the upcoming fortnight.
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