Manchester United midfielder Youri Tielemans has confirmed that the Red Devils' players are delighted the board chose to keep Michael Carrick as head coach, with the club mired in their worst run of results since 2015.
Most expected Carrick to become the first Premier League manager sacked this season. A 3-0 home hammering by Bournemouth did little to ease the pressure, coming on the back of a dismal 4-1 loss to Como in the Champions League.
United's board refused to rush, though. They handed Carrick, who wore the shirt as a player between 2006 and 2018, the time he needs to steady the ship and put things right.
Tielemans arrived from Aston Villa in the summer, one of three signings brought in to beef up the midfield. He revealed that Carrick's presence was one of the main reasons he chose to join at the Theatre of Dreams.
Speaking to TNT Sports, Tielemans said: "I came here partly because of him, because he wanted me here and wanted me to help the team."
Backing the manager on behalf of a united dressing room, he added, as reported by ESPN: "So I'm very happy he's staying, and the whole team doesn't want a sudden change. We don't want a drastic change that destabilises things more than they already are. Instead, we need stability, and to keep working hard, and things will change for the better at some point."
The numbers make grim reading. United have gone eight matches without a win across all competitions and sit 16th in the Premier League on seven points, just one clear of Nottingham Forest in the first of the relegation places.
A chance to turn things around comes tomorrow, Saturday, when they travel to Chelsea for one of the standout clashes of the Premier League's ninth round.