What Manchester United win vs Roma really means for Michael Carrick's future

At half-time against Roma on Tuesday, Carrick's time in charge looked to be over. United had turned in an error-strewn and tactically naive performance in the first 45 minutes and were on course for a fourth straight defeat.

Had they lost the game, then it would have been a case of when rather than if Carrick was dismissed. The club's decision-makers resolved to give him until the international break last week, when they came close to wielding the axe after the 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth.

To follow up that reprieve with defeats to Chelsea and Roma would have signalled the end, probably regardless of what happened on Sunday against Aston Villa. Instead, United conjured up one of those famous Old Trafford European nights and Carrick does have some breathing space.

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But it was also a night that conjured up as many questions as answers. Carrick once again soaked up the acclaim from the Stretford End at full-time, but at the break it felt as if much of this catastrophe was on him.

Diogo Dalot took the wrath of supporters, but Carrick's tactical call to push him so high up the pitch left the left flank exposed and both of Roma's goals came from Soule using the space behind Dalot. It felt tactically naive and while director of football Jason Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada sat stony-faced in the directors' box, alarm bells must have been ringing.

Dalot is not only out of position as a left-back, but then asked to play in the forward line as well and cover acres of space down the wing. To add to the complication, the inexperienced Ayden Heaven was the left-sided centre-back trying to patrol one side of the pitch.

That Carrick only changed it after United had been exposed twice was a concern, and he tilted the balance so that right-back Leny Yoro pushed on, only for Roma to almost get in twice down that side of the pitch before half-time. This wasn't a tactical approach United were using earlier in the season and smacked of a desperation to try new things.

But rather than succumb to the inevitable, Carrick kept his cool at half-time, reminding the players how games at Old Trafford can change on one goal. Once Bruno Fernandes eventually scored his penalty, the atmosphere switched from mutiny to support.