Manchester United are marking the 40th anniversary of Sir Alex Ferguson's arrival at the club in the midst of a deepening crisis, with manager Michael Carrick facing the sack and a squad that is being compared unfavourably to the one Ferguson inherited.
Ferguson walked into Old Trafford on November 6, 1986, to find a dressing-room booze culture that needed ripping apart. Today, United have a squad that has the fans hitting the boos and needs bulldozing, according to a Mirror Football analysis.
Carrick's Position Under Threat
Whoever takes over next, whether it is Eddie Howe, Julian Nagelsmann or Antonio Conte, will need more than just the personality to command the dressing room. They will need the authority to get rid of players who are not – as co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe would say – “best in class”.
Ferguson had both, but it still took him six and a half years to turn United into champions. There is no way he would have put up with the outbursts from Lisandro Martinez and Bruno Fernandes in recent weeks, the analysis states, and that is on Carrick.
Squad in Need of Overhaul
Harry Maguire, Noussair Mazraoui, Luke Shaw and Diogo Dalot are all described as well past their sell-by date, and that is just in defence. Mason Mount, Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee are also named as part of the problem.
United are on their worst run without a league win since May 2025, and all those players were on the team sheets when they finished 16th with 42 points. At the heart of it then, and now, is Bruno Fernandes, with the analysis questioning why the club did not take the money when the Saudis were offering nine figures for the outgoing player of the year.
Defeat to Chelsea Highlights Problems
Against Chelsea, Fernandes lost possession 31 times — nearly twice as often as any other player at Stamford Bridge, and more than anyone in any of Saturday's Premier League fixtures. Fernandes and Amad Diallo were also guilty of missing big first-half chances.
After the break, Morgan Rogers danced through the heart of the United defence to give Chelsea a 50th-minute lead. Then Martinez jumped elbow-first into Wesley Fofana at a corner and was shown a second yellow card. Chelsea were awarded a penalty, which Cole Palmer converted for his 50th Premier League goal.
While Carrick may be shown the door, it looks like only relegation will persuade this ragtag squad of hangers-on to move on. It is no longer a question of whether United could find themselves in a relegation battle; they are already in one.
Damning Numbers
Seven league games without a win — including two against ten men. Four goalless games. Only Coventry have more. Zero clean sheets. Zero away wins.
When asked how United can turn their season around, Dalot said: “Tomorrow, try to give my best. Always fight for the club and try to match the standards that we should have every single day. And then on the pitch, give everything for the club.”
The pending 13th managerial appointment of the post-Fergie era looms.
