Manchester United are dangerously close to a full-blown crisis after Saturday's draw with Tottenham extended their worst start to a league season in 40 years. The Red Devils went into the clash with just one win from their opening five matches, and despite being dominated for large periods, they were minutes away from a priceless victory before Dominic Solanke's injury-time equaliser earned 10-man Spurs their own valuable result.
Worst start in four decades
The result left Michael Carrick shaking his head on the touchline, with the Old Trafford faithful voicing their frustrations at the final whistle. United have now completed their worst start to a league season since 1986, when the club sacked manager Ron Atkinson at the start of November, replacing him with an up-and-coming manager from Scotland.
Carrick was only appointed on a permanent basis during the summer after a brilliant stint as interim boss, but the clouds are already gathering. He now faces a gruelling gauntlet of seven matches before the next international break in November—a run of fixtures that could make or break his time in charge.
Writers split on Carrick's future
Mirror Football writers have offered contrasting views on whether Carrick can turn around United's fortunes. John Cross described the situation as "an utter farce born out of too many people making emotional decisions," arguing that United should have thanked Carrick for his work and brought in a stellar name like Antonio Conte, who led Chelsea to the title. Cross added that the squad is "a pretty average squad underperforming badly, not looking motivated (they certainly weren't in the first half against Tottenham) or indeed fit," and drew parallels with the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer era.
Ben Husband noted that for the third season in a row, United's season is in danger of unravelling with a manager under the spotlight. "Old Trafford is notoriously patient with managers, but there were clear signs of discontent on Saturday and once the fans turn, it sets the clock ticking," he wrote. He pointed to the seven matches in the next three-and-a-half weeks as a window for bosses to make major changes if the slump is not arrested.
Sam Meade highlighted the gulf between United and their opponents, saying the draw at Tottenham was "arguably the biggest gulf we've seen between United and their opponents this season," with the first half in particular like watching teams from two different leagues. He also noted that Carrick has begun the season with more favourable fixtures, warning that things are only going to get harder.
November deadline looms
There is a worrying sense of deja vu at Old Trafford, with United having four of their next five games on the road. The club's bosses will have to take stock come November 8, when the next block of seven games before the international break is done. The fear is that, having wrongly backed Erik ten Hag, then sacked him, then axed Ruben Amorim, their judgement is at an all-time low. Many will say they ignored the warning signs before hiring Carrick, but they can't ignore what they're watching right now.
