- Pundit rips into Manchester United
- The Red Devils suffered a 2-1 loss to Leeds United last night
- Second defeat of Michael Carrick’s tenure
Former Manchester United right-back Gary Neville delivered a scathing assessment of Michael Carrick’s side, insisting they “just didn’t get anything right.” A 2-1 loss to rivals Leeds United has caused a hailstorm.
Carrick’s team suffered a dismantling at the hands of Leeds, and the Reds put in one of their most disjointed performances of the campaign. Roy Keane called it a “setback” and From the first whistle, Leeds set a ferocious tempo, overwhelming United in every duel and second ball, and they struck inside four minutes to seize control.
Controversy arrived almost instantly. Dominic Calvert-Lewin appeared to catch Leny Yoro with an elbow before Noah Okafor finished from close range to open the scoring.
The second followed in similarly chaotic fashion. United failed to clear their lines amid sustained pressure, and Okafor reacted quickest once more, guiding a deflected volley beyond Yoro to double both his tally and Leeds’ lead.
Later, Lisandro Martinez saw red for tugging at Calvert-Lewin’s ponytail, an incident that prompted an immediate dismissal for violent conduct and further deepened United’s sense of frustration.
United did briefly flicker into life when Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro combined for a 69th-minute reply, but they never sustained momentum and ultimately slipped to just their second defeat under Carrick.
Neville: Carrick’s Toughest Game
Neville was quick to scathe his former side when speaking after the defeat to Leeds. He highlighted the poor defensive performance and a lack of physicality:
“The back four wasn’t good enough, lets be clear, from minute one, they let balls get played in behind, they had runners in behind them, they physically got outmuscled, they didn’t look like they were connected.“
He added:
“The gaps, to be fair, between the back four and the midfield, and the front players, have been really good under Michael Carrick; that was missing tonight from minute one. Leeds United could either play it in behind, or play it through midfield through Tanaka and Ampadu.“
Carrick suffered his first loss at Old Trafford since replacing Ruben Amorim in January. This was touched on:
“They just didn’t get anything right tonight Manchester United. They’ve had a lot of time over the past few weeks where they have been able to get a pattern. It was probably Michael Carrick’s most difficult game.“
Neville concluded:
“Overall, they are still in a very good position. Seven points ahead of Chelsea, going to Stamford Bridge at the weekend, not to be complacent about anything, but I think Manchester United will be ok and go and get Champions League football, but that just shows a little bit tonight about how far away they are in some ways.“
United’s loss came without Kobbie Mainoo, who was sidelined with a minor injury. Manuel Ugarte partnered with Casemiro in midfield but failed to impress, leading to heavy criticism from fans.
It wasn’t just the players who disappointed; Carrick did too, with questionable in-game decisions. A report landed the following day, suggesting the Reds are keen to speak to Julian Nagelsmann about the managerial vacancy.
Carrick Needs a Response vs Chelsea
With a trip to the capital to face Chelsea fast approaching, Carrick must act quickly to halt this wobble.
Lose, and that soft underbelly risks further exposure, with the Champions League places beginning to drift out of reach. Win, and the trajectory sharpens again—momentum restored, belief renewed, and the pursuit firmly back on track.
Carrick’s men still remain firmly on course for a top-five finish despite the defeat to Leeds. They sit third, seven points above sixth-placed Chelsea, whom they face this Saturday at Stamford Bridge.
