Neville: "Manchester United Should Sack Carrick for His Own Good"

Gary Neville believes Manchester United should part ways with manager Michael Carrick, arguing that sometimes a manager needs to be sacked for his own good.

The pressure on Michael Carrick is mounting by the day at Manchester United, who sit 16th in the Premier League. Following a 4-1 Champions League defeat to Como, the Red Devils were beaten 3-0 by Bournemouth in the league, extending their winless run across all competitions to eight matches. After the game, the supporters directed their anger at the players and the board, while Carrick left the pitch to applause.

With Carrick widely expected to be dismissed after the Bournemouth defeat, names such as Julian Nagelsmann, Antonio Conte and Eddie Howe were linked with the job. However, the board has given Carrick another chance to turn things around, and the Englishman will remain in charge for Saturday's trip to Chelsea.

Neville said he was surprised by the decision to stick with Carrick, comparing the situation to his own short-lived spell as manager of Valencia around 10 years ago:

"I think it was discussed at length inside the club after the Bournemouth game. And I imagine that when they reached a stalemate, they said, 'Let's carry on with him.' The decision to stick with Carrick comes down to a lack of planning, a lack of suitable alternatives and an inability to make a clear call on the candidates who are available. Sometimes a manager needs to be sacked for his own good. When I was at Valencia, I needed to be sacked too, and I was happy when they put me out of my misery."

Chelsea Also Looking for a Way Out

Chelsea, who were knocked out of the Carabao Cup on penalties by Liverpool after a 2-0 defeat to Tottenham, are also desperate to rediscover the winning habit. At Anfield, Cody Gakpo cancelled out Morgan Rogers' penalty with a spot-kick of his own, and it was Liverpool who progressed to the quarter-finals after Wesley Fofana failed to convert in the shootout.

Rogers insisted there were positives to take from the game at Anfield despite the exit: "That's probably the most painful way to lose a game. It was an even contest and at times we were the better side. We started the second half really well and created chances to go ahead. But the result is disappointing."