Brad Friedel Points to Manchester United’s Board as Michael Carrick Faces Pressure

Former goalkeeper Brad Friedel has questioned Manchester United’s leadership as Michael Carrick faces scrutiny after a difficult start to the Premier League season. Speaking to the Daily Star Sport through Grosvenor Sport, Friedel said he was glad the club had not immediately dismissed Carrick, arguing that changing managers alone may not solve United’s problems. United drew 4-4 with Aston Villa after Joshua Zirkzee and Patrick Dorgu scored late on. The result did not lift the club out of the relegation zone, with the team having recorded just one league win in its first ten matches. Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox are reportedly reviewing what the club should do next after previously backing Carrick during crisis talks. Friedel said supporters were beginning to recognise that several managers who followed Sir Alex Ferguson—including David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, José Mourinho, Erik ten Hag and Ralf Rangnick—may not have been the sole source of the club’s difficulties. He suggested the problems could lie elsewhere in the organisation, while stressing that he was not involved in the club’s day-to-day running. The former goalkeeper said he did not believe sacking a manager was always the answer, even though results ultimately determine whether a coach keeps the job. He also recalled Rangnick’s comparison of the club’s challenges to a need for major surgery rather than a quick fix. Carrick’s future remains uncertain as United’s leadership considers its next steps. Friedel’s comments place the focus on the club’s wider structure and decision-makers, rather than treating another change in the dugout as an automatic solution.