Neville: Carrick 'problem' if Man Utd 13th in January — SkimNews
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- Manchester United drew 1-1 at Leeds, with Bryan Mbeumo's opener cancelled out by Dominic Calvert-Lewin's second-half strike from a corner, extending their winless run in all competitions to six games.
- Michael Carrick has taken just seven points from seven Premier League matches with only one win — United's fewest victories at this stage of a top-flight season in 40 years, leaving them 13th and already five points off fifth place.
- Gary Neville told his podcast the Leeds performance could be a 'stepping stone,' but warned Carrick faces a 'problem' if United remain 13th by January, arguing that finishing outside the top five traps the club in a 'vicious circle' of Europa League football and lost revenue.
- Neville framed United's targets as fourth being 'birdie,' fifth 'par,' and sixth 'bogey,' with fifth — last season's Champions League qualification cutoff — the minimum acceptable finish.
- Carlos Baleba, signed from Brighton for £70m after recovering from an ankle injury that delayed his debut, has started the last two games at Atletico Madrid and Leeds, and Neville said keeping the 21-year-old fit is 'absolutely critical' to Carrick's plans.
- Neville suggested Carrick should persist with the Andrey Santos-Baleba midfield partnership and bring attacking options like Matheus Cunha and Marcus Rashford off the bench so United stop being 'easy to play against,' with Bournemouth at home and Chelsea away the next two Premier League tests.
Why it matters: Carrick's job security now hinges on United climbing from 13th to at least fifth within roughly three months — the same threshold that secured Champions League football last season and, per Neville, the cut-off below which revenue and player recruitment suffer. Bournemouth (home) and Chelsea (away) are the next two Premier League fixtures before that January reckoning, with a midweek Champions League trip to Como in between.
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