Gary Neville has warned that pressure is intensifying on Michael Carrick following Manchester United's damaging derby defeat, a result that leaves the club matching its worst start to a Premier League season.
United's 1-0 loss to Manchester City at Old Trafford on Sunday proved particularly frustrating given the numerical advantage they held for much of the match. Phil Foden's early red card in the first half should have presented an opportunity, yet Erling Haaland's goal proved decisive—though it came under controversial circumstances.
The goal itself became the subject of immediate scrutiny. Pro Ref publicly acknowledged an error in the VAR decision, revealing it had contacted Manchester United to apologise for the mistake. The refereeing body confirmed that the VAR
should have recommended an on-field reviewafter failing to properly assess Enzo Fernandez's offside position and its potential impact on play.
According to Sky Sports, the Premier League Match Centre initially stated that Haaland was onside and that Fernandez's offside position did not matter because he did not touch the ball. However, Pro Ref's subsequent review determined this assessment was incorrect.
Despite the VAR controversy, Neville stressed that United's performance itself warranted serious examination. Speaking on the Gary Neville Podcast, he acknowledged the frustration surrounding the goal but shifted focus to the broader tactical failings.
Michael Carrick can be angry about the goal but he should also be angry about the performance, Neville said.
It was an awful last 10 minutes from an experience perspective for Manchester United because that's where you think, to be fair, you throw the kitchen sink at it, and you're building the crowd up and the pressure up and it's a pressure cooker and you get a goal.
The defeat exposed a troubling pattern in how United handle matches when facing reduced opposition. Over the past year, the club has now lost three games against 10-man sides, including a 1-0 reverse to Everton last season following Idrissa Gana Gueye's dismissal at the same venue.
The result leaves United with just four points from their opening four matches, equalling the club's worst Premier League start. Carrick's record after four games is identical to that of his predecessor Ruben Amorim at the same stage last season, a comparison that underscores the seriousness of the situation.
Neville acknowledged that it remains early in the campaign but warned of accumulating concerns.
It was a bad day for Manchester United, it really was, he reflected.
You're losing a derby, it's a shocking day anyway. I've lost derbies myself, it's awful, but then to not score a goal against 10 men is not what I expected today. I expected goals from Manchester United.
The former United defender highlighted broader issues with the team's consistency and resilience.
It is early but there are some concerning signs. They're not playing well in matches and they're also struggling in matches.
Neville pointed to the recent encounter with Ipswich as evidence of these problems, noting that the visitors had dominated for extended periods and created multiple clear opportunities.
Even the game against Ipswich; Ipswich were good for 55 minutes and caused big problems. They could have scored two or three, so there's some questions building.
The context surrounding this defeat adds another layer of difficulty for Carrick. Before the derby, Neville had already highlighted the pressure on Carrick due to the fixture congestion, with United facing City and then European commitments in the same week. The manager had expressed confidence in his summer signings—Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba among them—but defensive vulnerabilities have remained a concern throughout the opening weeks.
What comes next
Neville believes the upcoming fixture against Fulham on Sunday will become a genuine pressure point for Carrick's tenure.
Next Sunday against Fulham, that becomes a real pressure game now because obviously Fulham have not started the season that well, he said, suggesting that failure to respond decisively could intensify scrutiny further.
Meanwhile, Pro Ref indicated that a formal review of the incident will take place, though any such examination will offer little comfort to United given the points have already been lost.
