This weekend's Premier League lunchtime clash at Stamford Bridge features struggling Chelsea taking on a beleaguered Manchester United. Both managers, Xabi Alonso and Michael Carrick, face the possibility of suffering their third consecutive defeat across all competitions. However, it was unexpected that Carrick would even make the journey to London this weekend. Despite the challenging situation, Carrick still has the support of a significant portion of the Old Trafford crowd, unlike the players, INEOS, and the Glazer family. He has received an unexpected reprieve as the manager of Manchester United amidst the team's poor performance. Many believed Carrick might be saying goodbye to the club following last weekend's dismal 3-0 loss to Bournemouth, marking a third defeat for United at home to the same opponent in four seasons, further deepening the crisis. Currently, Carrick is overseeing an eight-match winless streak across all competitions, including a six-match drought in the Premier League, leaving United in 16th place, just one point clear of relegation. Nevertheless, he will be given a chance to reverse the club's fortunes. However, fans and analysts largely agree that neither Carrick nor any potential future manager can resolve the club's issues alone; that responsibility ultimately falls to the ownership, which has consistently failed to improve the situation. As turmoil continues at the board level, Carrick aims to secure Manchester United's first away victory of the season on his seventh attempt. The team's current tally of seven points from eight league matches marks their worst start since the 1986-87 season. On the other hand, Chelsea sits 11 places and six points ahead of Manchester United in the Premier League standings, but their spirits are not much higher following back-to-back losses to Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool.