Manchester United have lost their last two games and will look to bounce back this weekend
Michael Carrick on the sidelines
Michael Carrick has been sent a warning about his position at Manchester United (Image: Getty)
Michael Carrick's Manchester United tactics are putting his job in 'danger', according to former United striker Louis Saha. The Red Devils were left reeling on Wednesday night after being pegged back from 2-0 to lose 3-2 at home to Brighton.
It's the first time in over 50 years that the club have been beaten at Old Trafford when two goals to the good. It followed the disappointment of the 1-0 loss against 10-man Manchester City just a few days earlier.
The fallout from the two results has seen questions being asked of Carrick. He led the club back to the Champions League last season, before being appointed on a permanent basis in the summer.
Former United striker Louis Saha has now criticised Carrick's tactics and identified areas he believes require improvement. Speaking to Betano, he said: "The problem with Manchester United this season is not the players. Benjamin Sesko missed pre-season after his injury.
"Some players took their time to return after the World Cup. In truth I don't think it was a good summer transfer window for Manchester United. But Michael Carrick has to adapt.
"I don't see a team that has the animation it needs. Manchester United needs a system to play good football, with patterns of play.
Youri Tielemans looks dejected
Manchester United fell to a 3-2 loss vs Brighton (Image: Getty)
"I think the way they are playing now is dangerous to Michael Carrick because this is not down to the players. Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, even Bruno Fernandes need a team that is playing with more fluidity, and I don't think their teammates are doing that at the moment.
"The two defensive midfielders look too comfortable passing the ball slowly, side-to-side. It does not provide the sort of passes forward to create those one-on-one moments.
"In transition they are too slow. It doesn't matter who you put in these situations, whether it's Sesko or Cunha or Mbeumo, if one of them isn't taking more risks and pressing forward, it's not going to help advance the play.
"United create some chances but they are not clear cut chances, and they aren't using the acceleration of Marcus Rashford to get behind teams, so they don't have that dimension either. It's all too slow."
Midfield reinforcement was a top priority during the summer transfer window, with United splashing out a combined £155 million to secure the signatures of Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba. Yet despite these high-profile acquisitions, it is the departure of Casemiro on a free transfer that Saha believes has proven most damaging to the squad.
"How can Michael Carrick avoid falling short as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer did? What he must do now is support the team to animate the system, a way of playing, a certain motion and rhythm to what they do," he added.
"Some of this comes naturally from the players you have but everything else must come from the manager. Last season a lot of that came from Casemiro.
Casemiro while at Man Utd
Casemiro left Manchester United in the summer (Image: Getty)
"They still have not replaced him. People said he had no legs left but look at what Manchester United have lost now. He was the animator of the team.
"He gave everyone a belief in what they were doing. He was ready to seize the moment and take a risk and you could feel it in how they played. That's why he is a great, great midfielder and has shown it over the years because he brought that balance.
"I think they can have that again with the players at the club but now it is Michael Carrick who must give this balance to the team as the manager. Maybe Carlos Baleba can offer this when he comes back from injury, which would also allow Bruno Fernandes to facilitate the strikers too.
"United need someone who excites the team, winning the ball, feeding the runners, lifting the crowd. United need something special there because they are missing a player who is dynamic and creative."