Manchester United have dropped in the bottom three and talk of them being relegated continues as Michael Carrick remains a man firmly under pressure
Michael Carrick's future remains uncertain given Man Utd's season
Michael Carrick's future remains uncertain given Man Utd's season(Image: Martin Rickett/Press Association)
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Manchester United have "reason to panic" after slipping into the Premier League relegation zone, with former Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf admitting they may have "no other choice" but to sack Michael Carrick.
The Red Devils have endured their worst ever start to a Premier League season and on Saturday evening dropped into the bottom three for the first time this term. They've won just once in nine games with their decline showing no sign of easing up ahead of a huge game with Aston Villa at Old Trafford.
The club have fallen away from being title challengers and two years ago finished 15th, their lowest ever Premier League position. They've now sunk to new depths and despite having an expensively assembled squad, there is mounting talk of them being in a relegation scrap.
Leboeuf concedes that the club aren't going to rid of their underperforming squad, which could eventually leave them with no option but to make a ruthless call in the dugout if they want to change the direction of travel in Manchester.
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The Frenchman told ESPNFC: "It’s been a while since you had to panic because we saw the games that they had. There is reason to panic and it’s been like that for a while.
"Nothing is getting good, we don’t see any improvement, we don’t see how it can be better. Again, I’m all for Michael Carrick. But there is a time when there will be no other choices but getting rid of him. You can’t get rid of those players who don’t deserve to play for Manchester United, who aren’t good enough for Manchester United.
"They don’t have the guts, the courage, the pride of fighting for the club. I don’t see any solution, I don’t see anything getting good and if they carry on like that you could see Manchester United getting relegated which is amazing."
Man Utd have only won once in the Premier League this season
Man Utd have only won once in the Premier League this season(Image: (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP via Getty Images) )
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United have 13 Premier League titles to their name and their relegation would be among the greatest shocks in the history of English football. After losing at Chelsea eight days ago Carrick was forced to address the prospect of the team dropping into the Championship.
He said: "We've got to keep moving forward and winning games, simple as that. There's no words that I'm going to explain to you now that makes it [being in relegation zone] any difference, it's not going to change it. We've got to move forward and win football matches, it's as simple as that."