PREVIEW-Soccer-Manchester United's under-fire boss Carrick faces tough trip to Chelsea

Manchester United's Michael Carrick may have been thrown a managerial lifeline despite his team languishing a point above the relegation zone but Saturday's Premier League visit to Chelsea may be his last chance to arrest an alarming slump. Carrick's side are on an eight-match winless ‌streak in all competitions as he battles player unrest that led him to drop captain Bruno Fernandes for the 3-0 home loss to Bournemouth.

What Carrick called a "pure football" decision backfired as United imploded and tumbled to 16th, with the forlorn Fernandes watching from the bench -- a defeat that piled ‌more pressure on Carrick even as fans cheered the manager while booing the squad. Fernandes was benched after criticising United's tactics following a 4-1 Champions League thrashing by Como, leaving Carrick facing a dilemma ahead of the clash with fifth-placed Chelsea, who lost at home to Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.

Should he continue to sideline his captain or recall his most creative player after United badly missed Fernandes' influence against Bournemouth? ‌The loss left United with seven points from eight matches, a point above the relegation zone.

Despite sweeping England's Player of the Year honours last season, Fernandes has struggled for form in this ‌campaign, yet United appeared even more toothless without the Portugal international orchestrating play from midfield on Sunday. "It was a decision based on what we felt was right for the game.

That's it," Carrick told a press conference on Thursday regarding the decision to leave Fernandes on the bench. "Bruno is fully committed to this football club and there are absolutely no issues.

We move forward, make decisions as we go and focus on Saturday's game." He said Fernandes remains captain after clear-the-air talks. "My responsibility ⁠is to the players.

We're hurting because we haven't won enough football games. But there is an intensity, an edge, a hunger to do better," Carrick added.

TOP-FOUR CLASHES The weekend's other leading fixtures pit the top four teams against each other. Leaders ⁠Manchester City will look to shake off their first league defeat of the season when they host third-placed Brighton & Hove Albion, while champions Arsenal - still smarting from a League Cup exit to a fourth-tier side - visit Liverpool.

Enzo Maresca's City have pressed on with business as usual despite an independent commission finding the club guilty of 114 breaches of Premier League financial rules, which has kept the debate ⁠simmering over the legitimacy of their previous titles.