Manchester United was dragged into a deep crisis after losing 0-2 to Chelsea in the 9th week of the Premier League. With this result, the "Red Devils" have not won 9 matches in all tournaments. This is one of the team's worst streaks since 1988. Currently in 17th place in the Premier League, Man Utd is behind only Crystal Palace with 7 points and is just above the relegation zone.

Former footballer Paul Merson, in his comments on Sky Sports, said, "They will face Coventry on December 5th. I would be surprised if they are not among the three teams by then. Although nearly a third of the season has passed, this is no longer the Man Utd we know." Merson stated that Man Utd showed an acceptable performance in the first half at Stamford Bridge, but they left themselves in a difficult situation with the mistakes they made in the second half.

Merson said, "Consider Michael Carrick's situation; no matter who he is, he cannot be successful in this situation. Even if it is Carlo Ancelotti, Arsene Wenger, Jose Mourinho and Alex Ferguson, this team cannot win." Merson emphasized that Carrick was loved by the fans and this prevented a difficult decision for the club management. Fans stated that the management would also be criticized if Carrick was dismissed, as they knew that the coach was not solely responsible.

Merson argued that players moved freely due to high salaries and that some problems were beyond Carrick's control. Last month, Lisandro Martinez's management recalled that he had been critical of transfer policy and team captain Bruno Fernandes had questioned Carrick's tactics.

On transfer policy, Merson stated that Man Utd followed a wrong strategy in recruiting players. Although the club prioritized offensive players in the summer of 2025, it stated that players such as Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko could not show sufficient performance. "These players are not enough, they are not of the caliber to score 20-25 goals", he said.

Merson also emphasized that Manchester United players should get 7 or 7.5 points every week, but some players are not fit and this situation is not acceptable. "In teams like Wolves or Brentford, it is acceptable for a player to get 4 points one week and 9 points the next. But at Old Trafford they have to consistently perform at a high level," he said.Regarding the midfield, Merson said that he could not understand the logic of Man Utd's transfer to Andrey Santos for 64 million dollars, and that Youri Tielemans lacked the support in Aston Villa. Merson stated that young player Carlos Baleba was put under an unexpected burden.

In conclusion, Merson stated that it was unreasonable for Man Utd to try to establish a new structure without first strengthening the defensive line. Gary Neville on Sky Sports also stated that Man Utd are in a vicious cycle both in terms of results and the way they play. Merson's statements and Carrick's situation are likely to have a huge impact on the future decisions of fans and management.