A historic low for the Red Devils
Nottingham Forest earned a 3-1 victory over Manchester City, handing City a third straight league defeat. That result also pushed Manchester United into the Premier League bottom three.
This is the first time in 40 years that United have ended a day in the top flight relegation zone after playing at least nine games. The last time this occurred was back in November 1986, when United sat 21st in the table after 15 matches. That dismal run led to manager Ron Atkinson losing his job, with Sir Alex Ferguson coming in to take over at Old Trafford.
The threat of falling to the very bottom
The situation could become even more difficult for Michael Carrick before his side faces Aston Villa at Old Trafford. If Sunderland beat Chelsea and Crystal Palace avoid defeat against Liverpool at Selhurst Park, United will fall to the very bottom of the Premier League table before playing Unai Emery's team.
Emery has said that Carrick's side is at the same level as Barcelona, but United's league form tells a troubling story. United have not won a Premier League game since a 5-2 home victory against promoted Ipswich Town on Aug. 30. Carrick and his players have recorded the worst start to a Premier League season in the history of the club.
Carrick remains under pressure despite European win
Carrick's position as manager has been under heavy threat over recent weeks. A 3-2 victory against AS Roma in the Champions League on Tuesday eased some of the pressure on the 45 year old manager. However, his long term future at the club remains uncertain, and another loss against Villa could bring an end to his spell in charge.
Carrick said on Friday that he hopes the win against Roma helps inspire his squad. He explained that he has seen enough from the players and knows what the team is capable of achieving. He acknowledged that they have not proved it enough lately, but insisted that the squad trained really well leading up to their upcoming match.
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