Manchester United legend Roy Keane has hit out at under-pressure manager Michael Carrick following his “casual” comments on the club’s latest setback in the Premier League.

A few days after their extraordinary 3-2 comeback win over Roma in the Champions League, Man Utd battled from behind twice to rescue a 4-4 draw with Aston Villa in a pulsating top-flight contest at Old Trafford on Sunday.

However, the Red Devils set another unwanted record and their defensive frailties have become a major factor behind their dreadful start to the season.

No team across Europe’s top-five leagues has conceded more goals than Man United so far this season (30 – level with Crystal Palace and Sassuolo) and 19 of those have been shipped in their opening 10 Premier League matches.

Uncertainty over Carrick’s future is rife, as he sees his Man United side languishing in the Premier League relegation zone heading into the international break, with no team winning fewer games than the Red Devils after 10 games this term (W1 D5 L4).

Carrick gave a spiky post-match response to speculation around his future and insisted that he ‘expects’ to carry on as normal, praising the “quality of football” from his team while also rejecting the notion that Man United are in a relegation battle.

Keane on Carrick: “How can we believe a word you're saying?”

In response, Sky Sports pundit Keane expressed his disappointment around Carrick’s views, saying: "The challenge for any manager who group of coaches and players is you've got to work with what you've got in front of you.

"We see the Villa manager (Unai Emery) chopping and changing all summer and his hands are tied a little bit but when he gets a group of players to work with he works with them, he tries to make them better and generally speaking he does that. Villa over the last few years have come good towards the end of the season.

"What's the sign of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting something different. We come here and we knew they'd give up loads of chances. It's up to the manager and group of players to do something about it. You listen to the players talking about the mentality and we're disappointed, well you've got to do something about it.

"It's very hard for us to listen to the messages coming out of the United camp when I'm thinking, I'm not even sure you're being honest with yourselves, so how can we believe a word you're saying?

"What we're seeing most weeks is chaotic defending, people not organised, people not putting their bodies on the line. Then they give interviews and the manager will go we need to tighten up. It's just words, isn't it?

"We're waiting for a reaction from the United team, whether it be after the big defeat from Bournemouth or Como."

Keane: “Carrick talks a lot but doesn't say much”

Keane strongly believes that Man United need to do a lot more than just “tighten up” and has questioned Carrick’s “casual” approach in turning his team’s fortunes around.

He continued: "I admire people who are maybe casual like that. I wish I was casual like that! I see Carrick and he's like, 'we just have to tighten up'. I'm going, 'tighten up? You should be banging heads!'

"We're all different, but put it this way: they're going to Liverpool in a few weeks. How many chances are Liverpool going to get? I don't think this is a top Liverpool team but do you believe United are going to roll their sleeves up and get a clean sheet? Dig in deep? Be hard to beat? Start quick? Well, good luck with that one."

"It's obviously difficult for the manager. Under pressure, no doubt,” Keane added. “He talks a lot but doesn't say much. I don't know if that's a tactic. Like a politician.

"He keeps saying we need to tighten up and there's things we need to work on, But they better get moving on that. It's the worst start in how many years, all these stats aren't very good. If you keep giving up goals and chances, it's just going to continue.

"What are we expecting to change over the next few weeks and months? What are they working on? They need to do a lot better than that."