Premier League39 min ago2 minute read

Fàbregas Rejects Man United Job Rumors Ahead of European Clash

Cesc Fàbregas called rumors linking him to the Manchester United job disrespectful to Michael Carrick ahead of their meeting in Italy.

The EagleEyeOdds deskWritten from the match data, checked against our model before it goes out

Fàbregas defends Carrick

Como manager Cesc Fàbregas has rejected talk linking him to the Manchester United job. Speaking at his press conference on Tuesday, the former Chelsea, Arsenal, and Barcelona midfielder labeled the speculation disrespectful to United boss Michael Carrick.

Carrick is facing heavy pressure after a difficult run of six matches without a win. When asked if he could replace him, Fàbregas refused to entertain the idea.

"I won't answer that question because I think that's not a very nice question," Fàbregas said. "I don't think that shows enough respect to a great footballer and manager like Michael Carrick at the helm of a wonderful Manchester United side."

Tough times for United

The two sides will meet on Wednesday in Italy for a Champions League fixture. United arrive with poor form, having won only two games across all competitions this season. They have failed to secure a victory in more than a month.

To make matters harder, Lisandro Martínez and Marcus Rashford missed United training ahead of the match against Como.

Como enter the match in much better form. The Italian club sits fifth in the Serie A table. They warmed up for United's arrival with a 3-1 victory over Fiorentina on Sunday.

Respect for the visitors

Despite United's struggles, Fàbregas insisted that the English club deserves great respect. He pointed out his connection to United coach Steve Holland, having worked with him during his playing days at Chelsea.

Fàbregas said Manchester United is a historic club that he knows very well. He noted that Carrick did well to guide the team back into the Champions League last season. He added that it is an honour for Como to host United for the first time in the club's history.

What it means for the next game

Here are the projections from our model for the upcoming fixtures:

Como vs Manchester United (Champions League, Wed, 21 Oct): Como win 47%, draw 25%, Manchester United win 28%; expected goals 1.67 to 1.25. Our safest pick: Over 1.5 goals.

Como vs Sassuolo (Serie A, Sat, 24 Oct): Como win 61%, draw 22%, Sassuolo win 17%; expected goals 2.01 to 0.98. Our safest pick: Como or Draw.