Neville clear on why Man U are still sticking with Carrick despite collapse in results and morale

Posted by Will Faulks

October 29th 2026, 16:00

Image via: The Overlap Daily

Michael Carrick is a lame duck at Man U, and it’s doing a huge amount of damage day by day as they panic about a replacement.

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Michael Carrick is a lame duck at Manchester United right now, and that always ends the same way.

Clubs sometimes want to keep a coach in place because they want to sack him at a more convenient time. But it usually backfires like this. Any remaining authority they have evaporates because it’s an open secret they’re going.

Results only get worse, and the decision to postpone their removal ends up looking more foolish by the week. In this case, the dressing room had already given up on Carrick, and things are spiralling fast.

Decision to keep faith in Carrick proving wrong one as spiral continues

“I reckon what’s happened in the 24 hours after Bournemouth is that [the club decision makers] literally debated it back and forth,” Neville speculated on his “Stick to Football” podcast with Jamie Carragher.

“I don’t know this, but they’ve debated it to the point where they’ve got themselves into a muddle, and thought, ‘we’ll just stay with him’.

“I think staying with him is a result of the lack of planning, the lack of probably available options, the lack of decision-making around the two people that probably are available. That’s when you’re really struggling.

“Sometimes a manager needs sacking for their own good. I needed sacking at Valencia. I was happy that they put me out of my misery.”

We don’t know who Man U are lining up to replace the former interim man, but the list of people willing to take that job must be shrinking every day.