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Michael Carrick sack verdict given as finger pointed for Man Utd turmoil

A Premier League icon has pointed the finger for the terrible mess Manchester United find themselves in over the international break. Michael Carrick’s job hangs in the balance with the 20-time champions in the relegation zone.

United completed another dramatic comeback to draw 4-4 against Aston Villa on Sunday, with Carrick’s substitutes Joshua Zirkzee and Patrick Dorgu both scoring in stoppage time to salvage a point.

However, the point was unable to lift United out of the relegation zone, where they sit after just one Premier League win from their opening 10 matches, which has left Carrick’s future under major threat. Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox are leading a review into the club’s next step after previously backing the legendary midfielder last month during crisis talks.

Avram Glazer and Sir Jim Ratcliffe

Avram Glazer and Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s ownership of the club has brought protests from United fans(Image: James Gill – Danehouse, Getty Images)

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But former Liverpool, Tottenham and Aston Villa keeper Brad Friedel has said he is happy Carrick has remained in the job until now and blamed the board for the position they find themselves in.

Friedel pointed to the previous concerns of United’s former managers post Sir Alex Ferguson that prove just changing a manager does not guarantee success.

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Star Sport, via Grosvenor Sport, Friedel said: “I think by him keeping his job, the top guys have seen that the fans are starting to realise that David Moyes wasn’t wrong, and Louis van Gaal wasn’t wrong, and Jose Mourinho wasn’t wrong, and Ten Hag wasn’t wrong, and Amorim wasn’t wrong, and Solskjaer wasn’t wrong.

Manchester United fans

The Stretford End took aim at the Glazers and Ratcliffe again(Image: Getty Images)

Omar Berrada, chief executive officer of Manchester United, and Jason Wilcox, director of football at Manchester United during the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD4 match between Manchester United and AS Roma at Old Trafford.

Omar Berrarda and Jason Wilcox have held meetings over Michael Carrick’s Manchester United future. (Image: Carl Recine, Getty Images)

“They’re starting to see that they truly think the problem is elsewhere.

“So perhaps someone on the board is thinking that too, by keeping him, because it’s not normal in football at the big clubs for the manager to have kept his job after the string of results.

“And I, for one, am quite happy that they didn’t just go and pull the trigger, because that’s not always the fix. Sometimes it is, of course, but it’s not always the fix.

Brad Friedel

Brad Friedel spoke about Manchester United’s mess(Image: Getty Images)

“To keep a job long term, you need to win games. That’s what he needs to do. But I don’t know what’s wrong at the club, really.

“I’m not there day-to-day, but something since Sir Alex walked out of the building has been wrong at that club. And I didn’t mention another name. Rangnick said the same thing.

“I think his comment was like the club doesn’t need stitches, it needs open-heart surgery. All these some of the world’s greatest football minds have been through there and they all say the same thing.”