Manchester United boss Michael Carrick looking worried next to the club's badge
Michael Carrick is battling to keep his job at Manchester United
Manchester United will find it “tough” to stand by Michael Carrick if they are beaten by Aston Villa on Sunday, though Steven Gerrard has made a claim about the real “problem” at Old Trafford, while Gary Neville has assessed whether the Red Devils are really embroiled in a relegation battle.
The Red Devils have won just one of their nine Premier League games to date and sit, rather uncomfortably, in 17th, outside the relegation zone, on goal difference only going into this weekend’s fixtures.
Given the struggles the team has encountered so far, Carrick has found himself under intense pressure and in serious danger of the sack, just a matter of months after signing a two-year deal as the permanent manager.
Despite a positive result against Roma in the Champions League this week, Liverpool icon Gerrard cannot see a scenario where Carrick keeps his job if they end up on the wrong end of a scoreline against Unai Emery’s in-form Villa side.
“Sometimes a performance against a certain opposition in a certain way can give the board a little bit more belief, a little bit more hope,” Gerrard said on TNT Sports.
“Michael is having a tough time, and I think the next league game is crucial. I think if he can get that win, I think everyone will think this might be one of the few stepping stones for them to get into better form.
“But everyone knows what a defeat [in] the last game before an international break could do. If you lose that on the back of not winning a nine in the league, I think it could be tough for him.”
Despite that, Gerrard also thinks Carrick is far from the “biggest problem” at Old Trafford, having taken aim at the players and the club’s hierarchy for leaving the manager fighting for his job.
That’s a statement that the majority of fans could relate to, as Gerrard explained: “They’ve had numerous managers in the last five or six years that haven’t really been able to turn that fortune around.
“I think Mourinho came the closest, finished second in the league and obviously won in Europe, so it’s a difficult job at the moment because I don’t think it’s just a problem with the manager or the coach and stuff.
“I think it’s a group of players that have been really inconsistent that haven’t given this club enough, and there are also a lot of problems from above as well.
“I said recently that Manchester United have got numerous problems, not just one, and I don’t think Michael Carrick’s the biggest problem there.”
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Gary Neville decides if Man Utd are in relegation scrap
Despite the Premier League being ultra-competitive this season, and with the three promoted sides all making a strong fist of things so far, the relegation battle looks a hard one to call.
United, given their struggles, can perhaps, very alarmingly, take nothing for granted this season and know only a series of positive results can ease any lingering concerns they may have about the drop.
And while the club have very obvious problems to fix, former star Neville is adamant the club will not be embroiled in a fight for survival this season.
“It’s very difficult. It feels like the club is stuck in a rut,” Neville told Sky Sports. “It’s stuck in a rut in terms of results; it’s now nine without a win, which is obviously a really horrible run to be in at any point.
“People will talk about the first half (against Chelsea) and say that there were some good things, and there were. But when things aren’t going your way, you’ve got to be able to dig in.
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“You’ve got to keep your discipline, and you’ve got to be able to get through points in a game when your opponents are doing quite well – and Manchester United can’t do that right now. As soon as they go a goal down, they fall to pieces.
“I don’t think it’s at that stage (where Manchester United are in a relegation battle). I don’t think they will end up there, but it’s a worry. It’s a real depression of results, a depression of performances.
“And they’ve got difficult games coming up. Any team that is organised, that’s got a combination or two about them, will cause Manchester United problems.
“Aston Villa are very organised; [they] know how to play. After that, they come to Anfield.
“There are a lot of big games in front for Manchester United in these next few weeks, but it’s really worrying.”