Nicky Butt warns Michael Carrick may not survive at Manchester United until January

Michael Carrick is already under pressure at Manchester United after the club won only one of their opening four Premier League matches, according to former midfielder Nicky Butt.

Butt believes Carrick may not remain in charge until January, having taken the job on a permanent basis last summer, and says the manager was not given enough defensive reinforcements during the summer transfer window.

Speaking on The Good, the Bad and Football, Butt questioned whether United’s squad contains enough strength in attack and defence to support Carrick’s plans.

“I think it is all well and good them saying they are doing it in stages with the club and the recruitment,” Butt said, as reported by the Mirror.

“But if you are the manager, you are thinking, ‘Okay, the forwards think they are in a good place. I don’t think they are.’”

Concerns over United’s defence

Butt said United needed a recognised striker, while suggesting the club’s midfield recruitment remained open to debate.

“I think they need an out-and-out striker, a striker in every sense of the word,” he said. “They have sorted the midfielders out, which is debatable.

“I think they have done well in that, but Michael might not even make the next transfer window. He might be saying, ‘Okay, I have lost my job and you are not giving me the tools to do my job with the back four.’”

Butt also highlighted the age and form of United’s defensive options, while praising some of the players available to Carrick.

“Whatever you say about the back four, Harry Maguire was an unbelievable player, a top-class player, but he has reached a certain age now,” he said.

“He is getting older, and we have all been through that, haven’t we? As you get older, you slow down, or you are not as good as you were and not as quick as you were.”

Butt said Lisandro Martinez remained an excellent defender, and also described Luke Shaw as one of the best in Europe when fit and playing regularly. However, he pointed to Shaw’s injury record as an ongoing concern.

“Lisandro Martinez is still at the top of his game and is still a very good player,” Butt said. “I am also a big admirer of Luke Shaw when he is fit and playing. He is among the best in Europe, but the fact is he suffers a lot of injuries.”

He was less positive about United’s right-back options, saying none were good enough.

“I don’t think any of the right-backs are good enough,” Butt added. “As a coach or manager, you look at it and say, ‘Okay, I desperately need to bring in some players for the back four.’

“But it seems the recruitment team and the people in charge at United are saying, ‘No, this is the next stage. It might happen in January, although it may be very difficult, or it could happen in the summer.’

“That does not help managers.”