'Well short!' - Gary Neville issues Michael Carrick brutal sack warning as Man Utd slump continues

Neville has warned Carrick that he faces severe difficulties if United remain in poor form come December or January. A 1-1 draw with Leeds United at Elland Road extended the club's winless run to six matches, leaving them 13th in the Premier League table.

Carrick's side have seven points from seven games and have still yet to beat a team that was in the top flight last term. Neville regards the upcoming league fixture against Bournemouth as vital, insisting the club must turn their fortunes around within the next few weeks.

Despite the recent struggles, Neville believes the point at Elland Road offered a slight reason for optimism. He views the result as a positive stride in the right direction for the manager.

Speaking on The Gary Neville Podcast, the former defender suggested the draw could serve as a solid base for Carrick to build upon. He noted that expectations around the club have dropped dramatically in recent weeks.

"[There's] a depressed standard and a low expectation right now," Neville said. "But it'll feel like a stepping stone for Michael Carrick, and it'll feel like the first step on the ladder in the Premier League.

"They may take some confidence from that, and there might be a blueprint there, maybe we have to bring Matheus Cunha, Marcus Rashford and others off the bench, and we might just have to have a go at being more solid."

Neville feels Carrick must manage his options effectively as United aim to climb back up the table. He also outlined the targets for the season, highlighted the severe economic and competitive consequences of missing out on European elite football.

"I would say fourth would be a birdie, fifth would be par, and sixth would be a bogey," Neville explained. "But they can't finish outside the top five because then you're missing out on the Champions League, and it becomes a vicious circle. You can't get those players because they want to play in the Champions League, and you can't get the money from it, and you've lost the £60m-£70m, and you're in the Europa League on Thursday nights.

"Fifth is a must for Michael Carrick to continue to grow and Manchester United continue to grow with investment. It has to change in the next few weeks: Bournemouth is really important, and Chelsea away, and how he manages the games in between that.

"You've got to say fifth; you know that anything less than fifth is going to be a disappointment and a drop in standard from the start of the season, where everybody expected them to finish, and at the moment, they're well short of that because you look at Brighton, Liverpool, Aston Villa - they look like they're picking up a little bit, it's difficult."

The coming period will be critical for Carrick as United face a tricky schedule, including Bournemouth and Chelsea away. But before that, the Red Devils will first face Como in the Champions League on Wednesday.