Former Man United midfielder Nicky Butt believes that Michael Carrick is facing the risk of not being able to continue in his position until the January transfer window when the "Red Devils" start a difficult season.
According to Butt, the big problem lies in Carrick not being supplemented with enough personnel for the defense. Man United have strengthened the midfield in the summer with Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba, but the defense has almost no new options.
The 0-1 defeat to Man City at Old Trafford is Man United's second defeat this season, after losing to Hull City in the opening round. This result further raises questions about the quality of the squad Carrick owns.
Butt believes that the difference in views between Carrick and the transfer department could become a problem if Man United's performance continues to decline.
I think it is reasonable for the club to say that they are implementing a phased plan through transfers. But if you are a coach, you will think that the attack is still not really stable.
I think they need a number 9 striker, a real center forward. They have strengthened the midfield, although the effectiveness of those new players still needs to be verified" - Butt said.
The former Man United midfielder also questioned Carrick's ability to continue in his position if the team is not strengthened in defense.
I think they did quite well, but Carrick may not even stay until the next transfer window" - Butt commented.
Harry Maguire is still highly rated by Butt, but he believes that age can affect this center-back's playing ability. Lisandro Martinez is still an important choice, while Luke Shaw is highly appreciated for his expertise but often has physical problems.
According to this former midfielder, if the transfer department continues to prioritize long-term plans and postpone the addition of defenders until January or summer, Carrick will be directly affected.
In fact, Carrick's choices in defense are currently quite limited. Luke Shaw is absent from the Manchester derby and Patrick Dorgu is arranged to replace him. Diogo Dalot started in the match marking his 250th time wearing a Man United shirt, while Maguire and Martinez continued to pair up in the center-back position.
On the bench, Carrick has Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven and Noussair Mazraoui. With Man United having to play in the Champions League, the depth of the defense may become a matter of concern if they continue to have problems with injuries or suspensions.
Carrick is now calling on players to quickly forget the defeat to Man City to focus on the next matches: "We have 2 matches this week and that is part of the process. We must quickly move to the next stage.
Surely we haven't gotten as many points as we wanted at this time. It's undeniable. But we don't need an international break or a warm-up. We just need to continue to move forward and win again" - Carrick said.
