'Expects to be sacked!' Body language expert spots four worrying signs from Michael Carrick at Manchester United

Carrick is currently grappling with immense scrutiny as his side endures a historically poor run of form. Following a disappointing 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur, body language expert Darren Stanton has highlighted several physical indicators that suggest the coach is nearing his breaking point.

Stanton, a former police detective, noted that Carrick appears to be a man feeling under extreme pressure and identified four specific "red flags" in his recent public appearances. "Firstly, we see a one-sided shoulder shrug, which denotes a total lack of confidence in what he’s saying when talking about certain parts of the game being better. He has no real belief in what he’s saying," the expert told The Sun.

Additionally, furrowed lines across Carrick’s forehead were cited as evidence of distress, anxiety, and growing frustration. Stanton also observed extreme lip suppression, which he interpreted as a conscious effort to hold back his true feelings about the club's current predicament.

The final significant indicator mentioned was a self-assurance gesture involving Carrick sticking his tongue out, which Stanton compared to a pacifying behavior often seen in young children who are uncomfortable in their environment.

"Sticking your tongue out is the self-reassuring gesture we see in very young children when they’re unhappy and uncomfortable in a situation. Carrick too feels very uncomfortable at the moment in his job and how it’s going for him," Stanton explained.

He further noted that Carrick appeared pale and was sweating noticeably, suggesting a physiological "flight" response where the manager’s instinct is to get as far away from the stressful situation at Old Trafford as possible.

The tactical and psychological struggles mentioned by experts have translated into a grim set of results for the Red Devils. During the clash with Spurs, United appeared to have the upper hand when Bryan Mbeumo scored in the 73rd minute, followed shortly by a red card for Tottenham's Rodrigo Bentancur.

However, despite the man advantage, Carrick's side retreated and allowed Dominic Solanke to head home a stoppage-time equalizer. This inability to close out games has become a recurring theme, with the team failing to win any of their last three matches they finished with a numerical advantage. The atmosphere has turned toxic, with fans loudly booing the team at both half-time and the final whistle.

The statistics surrounding United’s current campaign make for uncomfortable reading for the board. The club has managed to collect only six points from their opening six Premier League fixtures, marking their poorest start to a top-flight season in four decades. Carrick, who initially revitalized the squad as an interim replacement for Ruben Amorim, is now finding the permanent role far more taxing.

While he enjoyed a superb run of 39 points from 17 games at the end of last season, that momentum has completely vanished, leaving the club languishing in 12th place in the table.