Carrick insists he relishes Roma test despite United's winless run

Michael Carrick says he cannot wait for Tuesday's Champions League meeting with Roma at Old Trafford, despite Manchester United having gone nine matches without victory across all competitions.

According to the BBC, that sequence is United's worst run since the 1988-89 season, while Yahoo Sports reported that the club last endured a longer winless stretch in 1984. The Guardian described it as United's worst run in 38 years.

The run was extended by Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Chelsea, a match in which defender Lisandro Martínez was sent off. United sit 17th in the Premier League and have slipped to 21st in the Champions League table after three matches, having lost to Atlético Madrid and Como, with only the top 24 sides progressing.

Carrick's position is widely seen as precarious, with suggestions circulating that he could lose his job during the forthcoming international break. Asked at his pre-match press conference whether he believed he had only two games left in charge, against Roma and then Aston Villa before the break, the United head coach was unmoved.

"No, not at all," he said, as reported by Yahoo Sports. "If you look into the future, you never know what's going to happen. I don't know what's going to happen. That doesn't change the way I feel, how we're preparing for the game tomorrow."

He added: "I'm actually really looking forward to the game, can't wait for the game tomorrow. You might think I'm crazy with the results we've had and what's going on, but I genuinely can't wait."

Speaking separately to the BBC, Carrick offered a similar message. "Whatever happens is going to happen in whatever direction it goes in, but we want to make it a big night tomorrow," he said, having earlier described himself as "really looking forward" to facing Roma.

Roma's sole blemish this season came in the Champions League, where they were beaten having been 3-1 up against Real Madrid with just seven minutes of the match left to play last month.

Martínez is expected to retain his place despite his dismissal at Stamford Bridge and a recent fine for comments critical of United's director of football, Jason Wilcox, regarding a perceived lack of investment in the squad, the Guardian reported.

Carrick played down any suggestion the Argentine's head had been turned. According to Yahoo Sports, he said he had "no concerns" over Martínez's commitment, while the Guardian reported Carrick describing the defender's "commitment is not an issue".

The BBC detailed an open training session at Carrington on the eve of the match, with striker Bryan Mbeumo and midfielder Carlos Baleba notably vocal and Martínez himself fully involved despite the reaction to his red card. There have been calls for the defender to be dropped for the Roma game, but Carrick's response was described as philosophical.

United's attempt to arrest their slide continues at Old Trafford on Tuesday against Roma, before a Premier League fixture with Aston Villa on Sunday that precedes the international break, a period some believe could determine Carrick's future at the club.