Gary Neville said Michael Carrick’s departure from Manchester United is “probably necessary” with the club in an “absolute mess”.
United were ripped apart by Bournemouth on Sunday, with a humiliating 3-0 Old Trafford defeat coming just four days after capitulating at Como in the Champions League.
Former United midfielder Carrick succeeded Ruben Amorim in January and oversaw a revival that took them to third place in the Premier League and back to the Champions League.
But United have won only once in eight Premier League games this season, and are now just one point above the relegation zone in 16th place.
“It’s going to get ridiculously difficult for Michael Carrick to be Manchester United manager moving forward,” former club captain Neville said in his Sky Sports commentary.
“It’s horrible to say that. I played with him, I know him.”
Speaking over pictures of disgruntled fans and also those showing chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox sat in the stand, Neville suggested Carrick’s departure as head coach was imminent.
He said: “The Manchester United fans are singing the Michael Carrick song because I think they know what’s going to happen here. They’ve seen this before.
“He’s one of their own and he’s popular. But the owners, the sporting department, and the players are not popular.
“They have badly let this football club down and those two (Berrada and Wilcox) are probably going to make a decision that will disgust Manchester United fans, but is probably necessary.
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“It’s just an absolute mess. The football club is a mess right now.”
Former United player Ashley Young criticised the players’ lack of effort and unity as their winless run stretched to eight games.
“Michael Carrick is a legend of the football club, but the players on the pitch showed nothing,” Young told Sky Sports.
“They didn’t go out and run, they didn’t look like a team together. If you looked at the Bournemouth team, you’d swap every single player for that Manchester United team.
“You look at Ineos (United’s minority owners) and what they did over the summer. They haven’t got the players in.
“But players at times have got to stand up and be counted. No togetherness, all individuals.
“It’s disappointing to see Michael Carrick like that, I wish there were players there who have the love for the club he’s got.
“Players might look a little bit dejected, but I think Michael knows the writing is on the wall.”
Jamie Carragher urged United to change manager for Carrick’s sake.
He said: “Manchester United need to make that change tonight, because it’s getting to the stage where it’s not nice to see.
“Manchester United, one of the biggest clubs in the world, are 16th in the Premier League and that cannot continue.
“Michael Carrick needs to be relieved of his duties tonight, not just for the good of Manchester United going forward but for the good of Michael Carrick.
“He’s really emotional and really hurting, and it’s not good for Manchester United or Michael Carrick.”
