Youri Tielemans exclusive: Manchester United midfielder backs Michael Carrick stay at Old Trafford - ‘We don't want a sudden change’

Youri Tielemans has insisted that Manchester United’s players "do not want a sudden change" in the dugout as uncertainty grows over Michael Carrick’s future at Old Trafford, telling TNT Sports that the team needs "stability".

‘I take responsibility’ - Carrick reflects on Bournemouth defeat

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Pressure has mounted on Carrick in the early stages of this season, with United now winless in eight matches in all competitions and coming into the Saturday lunchtime game away at Chelsea, live on TNT Sports with HBO Max, on the back of successive defeats by three-goal margins.

The turmoil at Old Trafford has been compounded by players speaking out against senior figures, with Lisandro Martinez having criticised the club’s hierarchy over their approach in the summer before captain Bruno Fernandes questioned Carrick’s tactics in last week's 4-1 UEFA Champions League defeat at Como.

However, Tielemans, who arrived from Aston Villa in July after conversations with Carrick, has said that the team are behind the Englishman, adding that his dismissal would only cause further disruption.

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"I came here partly because of him, because he wanted me here," the midfielder told TNT Sports in an exclusive interview. "He wanted me to help the team out.

"So I’m very happy for him to stay, and the whole group, we don't want a sudden change.

"We don't want a big change that is going to disrupt things more than they are. We just need stability, we need to keep working hard, and it’s going to turn at some point."

Tielemans said that Carrick "definitely" has the backing of the squad, despite their struggles this term.

The 29-year-old added: "Since I’ve come in, he’s always done his work. He’s tried to put a system in place that we all feel comfortable in. I joined this summer, because he convinced me to come over and help the team out.

"I can only speak positively about him, and everyone in the changing room would do the same. We all just need to stick together and turn this situation around."

Fernandes was left on the bench for the duration of Sunday’s 3-0 defeat at home to Bournemouth following his comments in Como, but Carrick said on Thursday that the Portugal midfielder is "fully committed" to the club - and would retain the captain’s armband.

After United were outclassed by Cesc Fabregas’s side, Fernandes told TNT Sports: "It's a decision from the staff to not press man to man. Sometimes, when you give too much of the ball to these teams, they get confidence."

It came just a week after Martinez, who eventually issued an apology, said he expected more investment in the squad, and "more from our technical director [Jason Wilcox]", after defeat against Atletico Madrid.

Tielemans has admitted that these conversations should "stay in the group", but suggested that these outbursts are an indication of the players’ passion for the club.

"Everyone is like they are," the Belgian said. "It's just a case of trying to do that in the right tone, the right moment.

"There has been a lot of talk about it, obviously, so I’m not going to go into this much further. But it shows that everyone cares. We all want to turn these things around.

"We want to win games. We’re all winners, and when frustration builds up, you might have different words and different opinions, which is totally normal. As long as it stays in the group, that’s the best part."

'We know what we have to do' - Tielemans admits Man Utd need to improve tactically

Video credit: TNT Sports

United start the weekend in 16th place in the Premier League following the thumping by Bournemouth, which was The Cherries’ third 3-0 victory at Old Trafford in four seasons.

They are just one point above the relegation zone after taking seven points from eight games, while their European campaign has started with two defeats in three.

Tielemans has said that "a lot" of the responsibility for United’s poor start to the season should fall on the players’ shoulders, adding: "It’s not only down to the manager. The manager is doing his work. We as players need to do our work as well. It works both ways."

There was evidence that United supporters felt similarly on Sunday, with fans singing the name of Carrick before booing the players immediately after the manager disappeared from view down the tunnel.

"I understand [the boos], because the fans are demanding," Tielemans said. "They’ve known very good times at the club, they’ve known many successes.

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"It is very normal that they are demanding, we are demanding of ourselves, and when the results are negative, obviously they get frustrated, but we get frustrated too.

"We want to win games, and obviously it's not nice to hear boos when you come off the pitch, but in that moment, it's their frustration coming out, which we need to accept and move on together."

Tielemans added: "Hopefully, we will come out stronger than last week. I think last week was a very negative week for us as players, for the club, with two defeats. We want to make things right."

Only six teams have a worse defensive record in the league than United this season, and Tielemans has said there has been a focus on "tactically, being more compact" in training this week.

He added: "We need to make sure we’re strong as a group, and that our individual qualities can come out much easier than they have been the last few weeks."

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