Michael Carrick cannot survive this latest Man Utd humiliation

Man Utd 4-4 Aston Villa (Fernandes 16′ pen, Tielemans 44′, Zirkzee 90’+2, Dorgu 90’+6 | Alysson 1′, Jackson 4′, McGinn 48′ pen, Goretzka 53′) OLD TRAFFORD — Manchester United may still be at the top of the food chain, but before long they will be extinct. There are elements of their predatory instincts that refuse to disappear. Two remarkable comebacks in the space of a week suggest there is still some fight left in this team. But as a global footballing powerhouse, United are finished. Any club half their size can now feast on the rotting carcass of what was once a great institution. As Jamie Carragher rightly pointed out, Aston Villa have traditionally been the perfect prey for the kings of the jungle. No other club in English football has beaten Villa more times in their history. The hunter has, however, become the hunted. Michael Carrick looks powerless to stop the rot and should not survive a home draw against Villa, even if the 4-4 scoreline, featuring two two-goal comebacks, suggests his players are still fighting for him. Whoever comes in next must accept that the Manchester United the world once knew is a thing of the past. That reality may also be reflected in the calibre of coach willing to take on the challenge. United’s record of winning just one of their first 10 league games for the first time in 53 years tells only part of the story of a club teetering on the brink in almost every respect.There was further unrest before kick-off as supporters unveiled a banner, which had been banned earlier in the week, declaring: “We don’t want a new stadium, we want new owners.” It was accompanied by the now customary green and gold balloons. The Glazers, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and director of football Jason Wilcox had all been subjected to a barrage of abuse before a ball had been kicked. The players’ names, read out by the ever-positive stadium announcer Alan Keegan, barely registered a murmur. Apathy is about as upbeat as Old Trafford gets these days. Goalkeeper Senne Lammens was at fault for two of Aston Villa’s goals (Photo: Reuters) Four minutes into the match, “You’re not fit to wear the shirt” rang out from the Stretford End as United fell two goals behind earlier than they ever had in Premier League history. Goalkeeper Senne Lammens was at fault for both Villa goals. He allowed Alysson’s second-minute strike to squirm through him before parrying the ball into the path of Nicolas Jackson for the visitors’ second. United had come from 2-0 down to beat Villa on Boxing Day in 2023, the first match after Ineos’ investment in the club was confirmed. Another stirring comeback appeared possible as the hosts put the boos from their own supporters behind them to restore parity before half-time. A Bruno Fernandes penalty and a goal from Youri Tielemans against his former club turned the jeers into cheers by the interval. It seems to go spectacularly wrong whenever Carrick is involved, and within eight minutes of the restart United had capitulated again. Diogo Dalot clumsily conceded a penalty, which John McGinn dispatched emphatically, before Leny Yoro’s mistake was punished by Leon Goretzka to seemingly put the game beyond the hosts. No team in Europe’s top five leagues has conceded more goals in all competitions this season. The stadium emptied en masse. By stoppage time, however, Unai Emery was storming down the touchline as the match took another extraordinary turn. Substitute Joshua Zirkzee’s fine finish in the 92nd minute still felt like little more than a consolation until fellow replacement Patrick Dorgu bundled home an equaliser, sending Emery into a fit of rage. Read more Explained: What we know about Michael Carrick’s weird Man Utd situation Manager update: What Unai Emery snub means for Man Utd’s pursuit of Eddie Howe How could any team fail to beat this version of Manchester United? That is precisely why Carrick should not see out the week. United are further removed from their former greatness than ever. There is incompetence at every level. Supporters despise the owners, the board and the players. They simply feel sorry for the manager. It would be entirely on-brand for Carrick to be granted another stay of execution, however. This is Manchester United, where almost every major decision seems to be made incorrectly.