Caretaker boss Darren Fletcher says he has been given no indication over his Manchester United future as the club's season took another turn for the worse after a third-round FA Cup exit to Brighton.
A topsy-turvy campaign hit further turbulence at the end of a week that started with Ruben Amorim’s sacking, as Brajan Gruda and Danny Welbeck goals secured the Seagulls a 2-1 third-round triumph at Old Trafford.
Benjamin Sesko scored late in a tie that ended with teenage substitute Shea Lacey being sent off for two bookable offences as United saw their hopes of silverware go up in smoke just 11 days into 2026 having also fallen at the first hurdle in the Carabao Cup.
It means whoever is appointed interim boss out of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick will only have Premier League matters to attend to, with Fletcher stressing the need to seal Champions League qualification.
Fletcher will report to Carrington on Monday morning to find out more about the future as United finalise their plans for the rest of the season.
"I’ve had zero indication," the Under-18s coach said. "It’s a massive responsibility to lead this club, and I’ve given it my best.
"Ultimately I’m disappointed to not be able to win a game or to get a result (against Brighton), but I feel like there were some good things in there, created a lot of chances, shots, things like that, but, ultimately it wasn’t enough."
The cup exit is expected to be his final game in charge, but insists the Red Devils can realistically challenge for a Champions League place.
They face Manchester City this weekend in Saturday’s early kick-off, seventh in the table and three points adrift of fourth-place Liverpool.
"The thing for me is there’s still a lot to play for this season and I think if I look at the players – and we get players back from injury and AFCON and we get a fuller squad – they have got the ability to qualify in the Champions League place," said Fletcher.
"That should be their objective, that should be their mindset, but they’re going to have to come together and be part of that as well. It’s not about a manager, it’s not about directors.
"It’s about everyone and the players have to group together, take responsibility, find a way of improving quickly and taking on the challenge for the rest of the season. Don’t waste the season."
Fletcher admitted the club are "not in a great moment" when it was put to him United look like a mess, although they are seventh in the Premier League and within three points of fourth.
Asked if this group are in a better place to qualify for the Champions League than when they spiralled after an early Champions League exit in 2021-22, he said: "Yes, I do. I think they are.
"That was a very strange season. There were a lot of players out of contract and there was a lot of different dynamics.
"It was difficult when we went out in the Champions League. There was a massive drop off. You could see that, that was visible for everyone to see.
"But that also let us know the true characters of the players, so actually for a disappointing season, although the end of the season looked terrible, true character reveals itself in difficult times.
