Phil Neville warns Man Utd back four will ‘get you relegated’

Phil Neville has warned that the back four which finished Manchester United’s 4-4 draw with Aston Villa could get the club relegated, singling out Noussair Mazraoui, Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven and Patrick Dorgu.

His brother Gary also criticised United’s recruitment, arguing that the club had failed to address its defensive weaknesses and that another change of manager would not solve the underlying problems.

United enter the international break 18th after eight Premier League matches without a win. Opta confirms it is their lowest position after 10 top-flight games since 1986-87, when they were 20th.

Phil Neville names four defenders in relegation warning

Speaking during NBC Sports’ post-match coverage, in comments reported by Football365, Phil Neville questioned the quality of the defence Carrick had on the pitch at full-time.

“The back-four that finished the game – Mazraoui, Yoro, Heaven and Dorgu – that gets you relegated,” he said.

He argued that the same defensive shortcomings could cost a manager his job, extending his criticism beyond the result against Villa to United’s prospects of staying in the division.

There is an important distinction between that assessment and responsibility for Sunday’s four goals. Heaven replaced Harry Maguire at half-time, while Dorgu only came on for Diogo Dalot in the 66th minute, with Villa already leading 4-2.

Dorgu then crossed for Joshua Zirkzee’s stoppage-time goal and headed the equaliser in the 96th minute. The quartet Phil Neville named therefore did not play together for any of Villa’s goals.

Those changes and Dorgu’s contribution are recorded in United’s official match report. Neville’s warning was a judgement on the personnel available at the end, rather than an account of which players conceded each goal.

Gary Neville questions United’s defensive recruitment

Gary Neville directed his criticism towards the decisions made before the season, saying United had needed to strengthen at the back during the summer window.

“The reason Manchester United have conceded four goals is because they haven’t invested in the defence in the transfer window,” he said.

He argued that repeated mistakes had exposed a weakness the club should already have addressed. His criticism was aimed at recruitment as well as the players making errors on the pitch.

United were 2-0 down inside four minutes against Villa. Bruno Fernandes and Youri Tielemans brought them level before half-time, but a John McGinn penalty and Leon Goretzka’s finish restored the visitors’ two-goal lead.

Our Manchester United 4-4 Aston Villa report covers both comebacks and the defensive lapses that made them necessary.

Why Gary Neville doubts another managerial change would help

Carrick’s position remains under scrutiny, but Gary Neville argued that replacing the manager would offer little lasting benefit without improvements elsewhere at the club.

“You can paper over the cracks and get a new manager bounce,” he said.

Neville pointed to United’s repeated changes in the dugout and questioned the experience of people holding senior positions. His argument was that the club’s leadership and recruitment needed to improve alongside performances.

He did not present a decision on Carrick’s future as settled, acknowledging that the manager could either leave or remain in charge.

United reach the break without a league clean sheet

Opta’s figures show United have failed to keep a clean sheet in their opening 10 league matches for the first time since 1986-87. Sunday’s draw also extended their winless Premier League run to eight games.

The midweek Champions League victory over Roma was a separate competition. United’s ability to fight back in that match prompted praise, but also demands for consistency, as covered in our Rooney and Shearer reaction piece.

Liverpool are United’s next league opponents after the international break. Dorgu’s equaliser rescued a point against Villa, but it could not lift Carrick’s side out of the bottom three.