Carrick walking a tightrope as Man Utd crisis deepens after Spurs draw, he could be sacked before December

Carrick walking a tightrope as Man Utd crisis deepens after Spurs draw, he could be sacked before December Michael Carrick is under serious pressure at Manchester United after his side squandered another lead in a damaging 1-1 draw with 10-man Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on Saturday. The Red Devils were poised to claim three valuable Premier League points after Bryan Mbeumo broke the deadlock. Rodrigo Bentancur’s dismissal moments later after losing his head should have made the task considerably easier. Instead, United surrendered their advantage in stoppage time as Dominic Solanke beat Lisandro Martinez to guide the ball past Senne Lammens. The draw unsurprisingly drew another chorus of boos from the very disappointed home supporters. The result leaves United with just six points from their opening six league matches, their worst start to a top-flight campaign since 1986/87. They have failed to win five of their six games this season and sit just three points above the relegation zone. Saturday’s disappointment also raised fresh questions about the manager’s ability to address their persistent shortcomings. They lack control in midfield, are defensively vulnerable, and struggle to see out matches. United have now dropped points against 10-man opponents in successive home league fixtures, having also failed to capitalise on Phil Foden’s dismissal in the derby clash with Manchester City. Carrick acknowledged the scale of the problem after the final whistle. He admitted his team needed to move in a positive direction quickly. The former England international insists he is confident in his players but conceded that they must be more stubborn and streetwise when protecting leads. However, his assurances will not mean much unless performances and results improve rapidly. Man United look vulnerable against aggressive opponents and the expensively assembled midfield doesn’t control games. Carlos Baleba came on and added impetus against Spurs, but individual contributions cannot disguise the collective problems Carrick must solve. His challenge is daunting, with three consecutive away fixtures against dogged Atletico Madrid, ferocious Leeds United and exciting Como. Man Utd then have a home meeting with Bournemouth and a trip to Chelsea. United’s hierarchy have backed Carrick, but that patience could evaporate if this alarming decline isn’t arrested in these games. The manager is walking a tightrope. Unless Carrick turns things around, his position could become untenable before December. Somehow, Man United face another managerial crisis barely weeks into the new campaign.