Gary Neville believes Manchester United must become more solid and difficult to play against after their 1-1 draw with Leeds United.
United showed greater resilience at Elland Road on Sunday, taking a point against Daniel Farke’s side as Bryan Mbeumo opened the scoring and Dominic Calvert-Lewin equalised after the break.
The result offered some encouragement for Carrick, whose side have struggled for consistency in the Premier League.
However, Neville believes United must build on the performance by tightening up defensively and reducing the space they allow opponents to exploit.
The pundit highlighted the midfield partnership of Carlos Baleba and Andrey Santos as a possible foundation for a more disciplined approach, suggesting United may need to prioritise solidity over attacking ambition while they work to improve their results.
Greater defensive discipline
Speaking on Sky Sports, Neville said United could take confidence from the draw but stressed that their approach may need to change if they are to become more competitive.
“Maybe we have to bring Matheus Cunha, Marcus Rashford and others off the bench, and we might just have to have a go at being more solid,” he said.
“I just wonder whether that Santos-Baleba partnership is going to stay there for a bit and let a couple of [the attacking players] float around in front and be a lot more solid – make sure we’re not giving as much space away.
“I’m sick of Manchester United’s team being easy to play against, and Michael Carrick will be sick of it.”
Neville’s comments underline the importance of finding a better balance between United’s attacking options and their defensive responsibilities.
Rather than committing too many players forward, the former United right-back believes Carrick could benefit from establishing a stronger midfield base and giving his creative players greater freedom to operate ahead of it.
The draw with Leeds could therefore represent a starting point for a more structured approach, although United will need to show greater consistency in the coming weeks to demonstrate that progress is being made.
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A top-five finish
While defensive improvements are a priority, Neville also believes United cannot afford to lose sight of their ambitions for the season.
Speaking on The Gary Neville Podcast, he said a top-five finish should be the minimum expectation, with Champions League qualification crucial to the club’s ability to attract players and continue investing in the squad.
“I would say fourth would be a birdie, fifth would be par and sixth would be a bogey,” Neville stated.
“But they can’t finish outside the top five, because then you’re missing out on Champions League and it becomes a vicious circle.
“Fifth is a must for Michael Carrick to continue to grow and Manchester United to continue to grow with investment.”
Neville acknowledged that United still had time to improve their position but warned that the team needed to make progress before the gap between them and their rivals became more difficult to overcome.
“It has to change in the next few weeks,” he added, highlighting the importance of upcoming fixtures, including Bournemouth and Chelsea.
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Platform for improvement
Despite United’s ongoing difficulties, Neville believes the performance at Elland Road could provide Carrick with something to build on.
He described the result as a potential “stepping stone”, suggesting the team could take confidence from showing greater fight against an in-form Leeds side.
“[There’s] a depressed standard and a low expectation right now,” Neville explained.
“But it’ll feel like a stepping stone for Michael Carrick, and it’ll feel like the first step on the ladder in the Premier League.
“They may take some confidence from that, and there might be a blueprint there.”
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