Gerrard warns Carrick that defeat to Aston Villa could cost him the United job

Steven Gerrard has warned that a defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday could end Michael Carrick’s tenure as Manchester United manager, with the club’s hierarchy already sounding out potential replacements ahead of the international break.

United arrive at the weekend fixture sitting 17th in the Premier League, outside the relegation zone only on goal difference after collecting just seven points from their opening nine games — the club’s worst start to a league campaign in 40 years. A 3-2 comeback win over Roma in the Champions League on Tuesday snapped a nine-match winless run in all competitions, but Carrick knows a single positive result in Europe offers limited shelter.

Director of football Jason Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada have already held conversations with Eddie Howe, Julian Nagelsmann and Antonio Conte over a possible managerial appointment, though the club has so far chosen to keep Carrick in post.

“Sometimes a performance against a certain opposition in a certain way can give the board a little bit more belief, a little bit more hope,” Gerrard said. “Michael is having a tough time, and I think the next league game is crucial. I think if he can get that win, I think everyone will think this might be the few stepping stones for them to get into better form. But everyone knows what a defeat in the last game before an international break could do. If you lose that on the back of not winning nine in the league, I think it could be tough for him.”

Gerrard also pointed to deeper structural problems at Old Trafford, arguing that the manager alone cannot be held responsible for the club’s struggles. United spent £155 million on three central midfielders in the summer transfer window while failing to address a left-back and striker that the squad desperately needed.

“They’ve had numerous managers in the last five or six years that haven’t really been able to turn that fortune around,” Gerrard added. “I think Mourinho came the closest — finished second in the league and obviously won in Europe — so it’s a difficult job at the moment because I don’t think it’s just a problem with the manager or the coach. I think it’s a group of players that have been really inconsistent that haven’t given this club enough, and there’s also a lot of problems from above as well. Manchester United have got numerous problems, not just one, and I don’t think Michael Carrick’s the biggest.”

With the two-week international break looming immediately after Sunday’s fixture, the result at Old Trafford is likely to prove decisive in determining whether Carrick remains in charge beyond the coming fortnight.