Pundit Andy Reid believes Manchester United’s difficulties cannot be pinned on Michael Carrick alone, pointing to leadership, ownership and financial concerns. United sit 18th with eight points from ten matches, and Carrick’s position remains under pressure, with a trip to Liverpool awaiting if he survives the international break. According to Caughtoffside.com.
Reid points to leadership, ownership and finances behind United’s slide
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Reid accepted that Carrick and his players must carry their share of responsibility, yet he located the deeper fault in the club’s structure. Reid, a former midfielder, said “football leadership, ownership and financial issues” need resolving, adding that there is “a bigger picture at the moment”.
Reid was no kinder on the players, singling out defensive errors that have repeatedly cost United this season and saying some would be a letdown even in an under-15s game. Preparing the team and improving results remains Carrick’s job, but the pundit does not see coaching decisions as the full explanation.
The league table gives Reid’s argument urgency. United sit 18th in the Premier League with eight points from ten matches after a poor start to 2026/27. A dramatic 4-4 draw with Aston Villa showed character through a comeback, yet it leaves United in the relegation zone, just one point ahead of 20th-placed Crystal Palace.
Reid’s thesis finds support in the churn since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down in 2013. United have been through David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim, with Carrick now the latest. Heavy investment in the squad over the years has not produced the consistency of Ferguson’s tenure.
There have been spells of improvement and domestic trophy success, but sustained Premier League title challenges have not materialised. On that reading, another managerial change would not necessarily resolve long-standing difficulties, and Reid believes United must address the structures supporting the football operation to achieve lasting improvement.
Pressure on Carrick has mounted through the poor start, and his position remains uncertain, with doubt over whether he will survive the international break. If he does, his next task is a trip to Anfield to face Liverpool, who have not yet won a Premier League game at home this season.
