The eight days that will make or break Michael Carrick’s tenure at Manchester United

Manchester Evening News writer Steven Railston argues that an upcoming eight-day stretch will define Michael Carrick's tenure as Manchester United manager. Following a poor run that leaves United 12th in the Premier League and out of the Carabao Cup, pressure is mounting on Carrick. The team faces Tottenham Hotspur at home, followed by away fixtures against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League and Leeds United in the Premier League.

Railston believes that failing to get positive results against Tottenham and Leeds, alongside competing against Atletico, could push Carrick closer to being dismissed. Tottenham sits at the bottom of the table despite spending £334m over the summer, making the home fixture particularly critical before United embark on a challenging sequence of matches prior to the November international break.